About the Association for German Studies in Great Britain and Ireland
About the Association for German Studies in Great Britain and Ireland The AGS was founded as the Conference of University Teachers of German in Great Britain and Ireland in 1932, with the aim of meeting annually 'to discuss matters pertaining to the study of German in all its branches, to promote the study thereof, to encourage research, and generally to foster high standards of competence among university teachers of German'. In the intervening years the conference has held over 70 annual conferences across Great Britain and Ireland. Conferences are arranged, and in general the affairs of the Association are conducted, by an executive Committee.
In 2009, the CUTG changed its name to the AGS in order to focus more strongly on promoting and defending the discipline of German Studies in Higher Education in Britain and Ireland.
In 1986 the then CUTG established a fund for Postgraduate Travelling Scholarships; further initiatives in recent years include the website (1996), the AGS-sponsored e-mail discussion list german-studies (1998), and further funds to support Publication Scholarships (2001), postgraduate attendance at AGS meetings (2007), and an AGS blog (http://germanstudiesblog.wordpress.com)