The Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz (engl.: German Language Certificate of the Education Ministers Conference) is an official German language certificate of the German education authorities and the Foreign Office (Germany) certifying levels of knowledge of the German language in schools worldwide. The program, originally intended to stimulate interest in German has run since 1973[1] and, different from the equivalent certificates of the Goethe Institute, is meant for students at officially recognized schools abroad, either Diploma schools or German Schools Abroad (Deutsche Auslandsschulen). The program prepares the participants for a study in Germany in matters of language and cultural issues.