Under the bilateral agreements signed in the late fifties between the Government of India and the Government of Federal Republic of Germany, teaching of German was introduced from the academic year 1960-61 at the Faculty of Arts, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) was entrusted with staff and material during the initial stages of teaching German in Vadodara. A DAAD-Lecturer was sent to teach at various levels. Thus German started strengthening its roots in Vadodara.
Initially, the teacher of German was put under the jurisdiction of Department of English. Then with the introduction of other two foreign languages, French and Russian, a new department under the name of “Department of Foreign Languages” was created which brought all the three foreign languages under one roof.
To cater to the growing demands of the industry, science and technology, and trade in the western region of India, two Indian teachers, Prof. Srinivasan and Mrs. Thakur (who were trained to teach German as a foreign language in Germany for 03 years) were appointed as permanent faculties at the university. Gradually German was offered at the Faculty of Arts initially as a optional subject at the first year, then as a minor subject at second year and then as major subject at second and third year of BA Program. This was possible with the continuous support of DAAD, German Consulate in Mumbai, German Research Society, Internationes, who provided regular assistance through providing language experts, books and other teaching materials, audio visual material, equipments for learning etc.
The major leap in the growth of the department to be recognized as one of the eight departments offering Postgraduate Degree in German Studies was possible in the eighties through the strong effort by Prof. Srinivasan and Mrs. Thakur. Their efforts enabled the increase in the staff positions of the department. In July 1983 the department achieved the status of a statutory department recognized by the senate and syndicate of the university.
The provision of BA and MA in German along with the part-time language courses provided the department steady growth and recognition as one of the leading centers of German in India, which not only worked closely with all the three German speaking countries but had steady connections and associations with the German companies in and around Vadodara. The department provided the companies regular assistance in language expertise for teaching, translation and interpretation.
It has been catering to the needs of large number of people, who want to pursue their career in Germany or with German Language. It offers courses (Language, Literature of all the three German Speaking Countries, Linguistics, Didactics of teaching German as a Foreign Language, Landeskunde, Business German, Representation of India in German Speaking Countries, History of Germany), which are interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary in nature. It trains the students to teach German as a foreign language and regularly conducts training programs together with Max Mueller Bhavan Goethe Institute Mumbai for the teachers of German Language. Due to constant efforts of the department Max Mueller Bhavan Goethe Institute Mumbai conducted its exams twice a year in Vadodara, which provided the students of the city-based institutions to appear for the exam here itself. The department provided the students assistance and guidance to prepare for the Max Mueller Bhavan Goethe Institute exams through block seminars.
In the recent times there have been a strong flow of small and large multinational companies (Siemens, Linde, FAG, Bombardier, L&T, Schott Glass, TCS, Karma Hub, IBU Hauer etc) having collaborations or projects with Germany in and around the city and these require German experts for teaching, translation and other tasks. Every year almost 98% of the BA and MA students are provided placements through interviews and the companies approach the Department for German Language Skill Professionals. The post-graduation students, those who are interested in pursuing career in teaching, are also given opportunities to teach in the schools and different Faculties of the university.
Since 2008 the department has been successfully having academic collaborations with reputed German universities and institutions (Education University of Schwaebisch Gmuend, Education University of Weingarten). Under this collaboration the students and the faculties are provided opportunity to undertake projects, have exchange programs with the partner universities and institutions. Large number of students and the faculties has been actively involved in the exchange programs. The students as well as the faculties are provided fellowships by DAAD, Baden-Wurttemberg Stiftung, PAD, and German Embassy, Austrian Ministry of Education to participate in the exchange programs. Students and faculties from the partner universities have also come to the department under exchange programs and interacted and worked closely with our students and faculties. The teaching faculties have also been regularly delivering lectures on intercultural understanding, Indo-German Connection and Contrastive Linguistics at the Education University of Weingarten, Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Valencia Polytechnic University, Spain, University of Leicester, UK.
The Department has been a part of three prestigious international projects supported and funded by DAAD (New Passage to India & ILAP) and European Union (ERASMUS PLUS KA107). Teaching faculties and students have been part of these projects and have contributed in form of lectures, presentations, visits, joint conferences, symposia and global relevant curriculum planning.