The Association for Canadian Studies in German-speaking Countries (Gesellschaft für Kanada-Studien in den deutschsprachigen Ländern / GKS) is a charitable association with 506 members (February 2017). It focuses mainly on coordinating Canada-related academic activities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. GKS’s objectives are incorporated in its statutes and are realized through a number of activities.
GKS pursues its objectives especially by
- sponsoring and supporting Canadian Studies in the broadest sense
- national as well as international multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary cooperation
- intensifying the academic and cultural relations between Canada and the German-speaking countries
GKS devotes itself to these tasks through a number of activities. It
- arranges its annual conference in Grainau (near Garmisch-Partenkirchen) every February
- publishes the Journal Zeitschrift für Kanada-Studien
- publishes its own book series
- provides detailed information on the association’s activities in its printed newsletter (Mittelungsheft)
- arranges Virtual Canadian Studies courses
- sponsors canadianist research and teaching through various support programs and fellowships