Introduction of The School of German Studies
Established in March 1950, the German language major at Beijing Foreign Studies University is one of the earliest German language programs established in higher education institutions following the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Since its inception, the German language major has undergone several organizational changes. Initially part of the German and French Department, it later merged into the German, Spanish, and French Department, before ultimately becoming an independent department in 1959. It merged with the Eastern European Languages Department in 1963, only to regain its independence in 1981, and was elevated to school status by March 2019. The School of German Studies is home to a faculty of 37 members, including 32 professional teachers consisting of eight full-time professors, three of whom are doctoral advisors, 13 associate professors, and 11 lecturers. As of the 2024-2025 academic year, the school enrolled 301 undergraduate students, 97 master's students, and 28 doctoral candidates.
This academic program is recognized as a national key discipline and a national-level special program. The school publishes several academic journals, including the Chinese-language version of Germanistische Kulturwissenschaften, the Chinese-language version of Information und Forschung ueber deutschsprachige Laender, and the international journal Interkulturelles Forum der deutsch-chinesischen Kommunikation, developing a comprehensive system encompassing six specialized areas of German literature, German linguistics, translation studies, diplomatic studies, economic studies and intercultural studies.
Scholars in the German academic program hold significant leadership roles in various national teaching and research institutions, undertaking important responsibilities in organizing, researching, and guiding German language education across the country.
Additionally, the school has established cooperative relationships with universities in German-speaking countries, such as Heidelberg University, the University of Bonn, and Goettingen University in Germany, as well as the University of Vienna in Austria.
Moreover, the "Sino-German intercultural German studies dual master-degree program" and the "translation dual master-degree program", conducted in collaboration with German universities, have received support from the International Cooperative Training Programs for Innovative Talents of the China Scholarship Council. The projects proposed by the school have been selected for the China Scholarship Council's 2025 Country and Regional Studies Talent Support Program. The school has also dispatched Chinese directors to several Confucius Institutes in German-speaking countries.
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