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Announces that the new government of Slovakia has rescinded a mid-year cut in the higher-education budget that had been imposed by the previous administration. Impact of the move; Policy toward higher education in the country since it became independent in 1993; Comment from Ferdinand Devinksy, rector of Comenius University.

Reports that university leaders in Slovakia say the fall of the government headed by Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar has opened the possibility of the improvement of the state of higher education which is in the midst of a financial crisis. Sharp drop in state funding; Reasons for the decline of state support; Shrinking university budgets; Strengthening autonomy for universities.

Describes the `Orava Project,' a teacher-training project developed by Kurtis S. Meredith and Jeannie L. Steele of the University of Northern Iowa. Training of Slovakian teachers in new educational techniques; Previous reliance on very traditional teaching techniques in Slovakia; Computer network resources linking the program in Slovakia to the university in Iowa; How the program was initiated; Bureaucratic obstacles and the volatile political situation in Slovakia.

Reports on the concerns of foreign students in Slovakia over racist violence. Injuring of a doctoral student from Peru; Skinheads' attack of dark-skinned foreigners; Economic frustration and unemployment as possible root of racist violence; Decline in the number of students from third world countries.

Profiles the formerly exiled Jesuit scholar Felix Jozef Litva. Designation as vice-rector for international relations at Trnava University; Escape from a detention camp in 1951; Return to his native Slovakia with a computer system and thousands of books.

Features the resiliency of Trnava University in the face of moves of the Slovakian government to close the state school. Receipt of support from human rights organizations and the international press; Goal of training students in religion and science; Involvement of academic personnel in Catholic activism during communist rule.

Reveals that skinheads entered a dormitory at Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia, several times during one weekend last month, broke down doors and beat up a number of students. At least two were hospitalized. Director of the dormitory denies the attacks took place; Numbers of foreign students from third world countries; Student protests and skinhead demonstrations; Comments.

Describes how a group of administrators and faculty members of Academia Istropolitana in Bratislava, Slovakia left the graduate school to form an independent institution. Reasons why the group left the school; The new institute being called Academia Istropolitana Nova; History of Academia Istropolitana.

Discusses why Slovakia has withdrawn the textbook `The History of Slovakia and the Slovaks,' by Milan Durica from its schools. The international protests by scholars; The details of Durica's, a Roman Catholic priest, book; The European Union's demands that the book be withdrawn.

Informs that students in Slovakia have organized a campaign to stop the government's plans to establish three new universities in 1997. Students as holding strikes and rallies to press their demand that the government drop their plan; Reason for the protests;The government's plan to establish three institutions including a university of music and drama, technical university and a Christian university.

Reports that academics in Slovakia have denounced February 1997 legislation that gives Matica Slovenska, a nationalistic cultural organization, a role in academic matters. A role in choosing textbooks; Background on the organization; Criticism of the groups ties to the two main parties in the coalition government; Other criticisms.

Relates that Slovakia's Ministry of Education and Science has brought protests from the academic community by firing the director of a small, graduate institution. Firing of Alena Brunovska, co-founder and director of the Academia Istropolitana in Bratislava; Her view that the firing was politically motivated.

Reports the refusal by Slovakia to allow opening of headquarters by the Association of Carpathian Region Universities in its territory. Information about the Carpathian Euroregion project.