The Department of Linguistics and Foreign Languages was founded in 1930. Four stages of development of the department can be conditionally distinguished, in particular as a structural subdivision:
- Odessa Institute of Communication Engineers (1930–1943);
- Odessa Electrotechnical Institute of Communication Engineers (1944–1990);
- Ukrainian State Academy of Communications named after O.S. Popova (1993–2020)
- State University of Intellectual Technologies and Communications (from August 2020 to the present).
In different years, the department was headed by: S. I. Lutsenko (until 1952), E. G. Semenov (1952 – 1976), M. V. Faydyuk (1976 – 1983), O. Sh. Khalilov (1983 – 1998), V.O. Kudryashova (1998 – 2008), O.O. Shulgan (2012-2016), I.V. Ponomarenko (2016-2020), O.V. Zavalevska (2020-2022) Since September 2023, the department is headed by Professor of Pedagogy. of Sciences, associate professor Kuzmenko Yu.O.
During the period of its existence, the department was repeatedly recognized as a regional leader in the language training of students. More than 20,000 foreign citizens from 37 countries have studied at the preparatory department.
The activity of the department has always been based on cooperation with foreign partner universities, namely: the University of Vienna (Austria), Karlsruhe University of Technology (Germany), Royal University of Technology (Sweden), University of Alicante (Spain), University of Magdeburg named after Otto von Henrike (Germany) and others. The department also supported international projects implemented at the university, namely:
- Peace Corps (USA);
- TEMPUS – a program of trans-European mobility in the field of university education;
- DAAD – German Academic Exchange Service;
- “Horizon Europe” – the 9th Framework program of scientific and technical cooperation of the European Union;
- EUREKA – grant support within the framework of the International European Innovative Scientific and Technical Program;
- SPS NATO – the NATO program “Science for Peace and Security”;
- USAID – United States Agency for International Development;
- “ERASMUS+” is an EU program that supports cooperation projects, partnerships, events, and mobility in the field of education, professional training, youth, and sports.
