On the 10th of March Kirsan Ilyumzhinov visited one of the most prestigious Russian universities - MSUCE, where he spoke to the students. The author of the article is one of the students of this university - Zarif Safoev:

"Many universities are recommencing the chess classes where the young pupils are trained to play chess. Moscow State University of Civil Engineering is one of such universities where the chess traditions are revived – chess class of the university are actively train the new sportsmen, its representatives are taking part in the municipal and regional competitions. On initiative of the Free Economic Society and the Black King chess award, on March 10th, FIDE President met with the Rector of MSUCE Valery Telichenko, who used to play chess and even has the title of Candidate Master. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov said that MSUCE is an institute of higher education which graduates the specialists for all countries of the former Soviet Union. During the meeting the leaders discussed opportunities of mutually beneficial cooperation and the establishment of the department of corporate chess education at MSUCE. It was finally decided that it will start working from the 1st of September. FIDE President noted that chess will be helpful to students in the learning process.

Then Kirsan Ilyumzhinov met with the students of MSUCE. They attentively listened to the stories of FIDE President’s childhood, first steps in the world of chess and the prospects of chess. The students were interested in the future plans of the World Chess Federation. FIDE is now focused on the broad popularization of chess, "Chess in Schools" program and increasing of the number of people playing chess. The words of FIDE President were fitly spoken as the students are an active youth which shall be attracted to intelligent studies. FIDE President expressed hope that all those who came to the meeting will be participating in university and municipal tournaments, maybe someone will devote his life to chess. The students were pleased with the cheerful, honest and detailed answers to their questions. In addition I must confess that the sincerity of the public person whom we have seen only on TV delighted us! It remains to thank FIDE President for the wonderful lecture and we hope to see him soon - at the chess department of MSUCE."