Dealing with conflicts

In professional environments, conflicts can sometimes arise due to a lack of communicating mutual expectations, rights and obligations. To prevent conflicts during the qualification phase (doctoral or postdoc phase), it is vital to collect all necessary information about processes and regulations as early as possible. Mutual expectations should be clarified early on and problems addressed openly as soon as they arise to prevent conflicts from escalating.

Support Services and Ombudspersons

Graduate Academy

The central Graduate Academy supports you with a course program on various aspects in the qualification phase. This includes workshops on professional communication and conflict management. You can also get advice on funding options during and after the doctorate.

Ombudspersons for Doctoral Affairs

In cases of conflict during the doctorate in which the issue cannot be resolved without involving a third party, the ombudspersons for doctoral affairs can be contacted. Please check your doctoral degree regulations to find out who has taken on this role in your Faculty. Usually, the Deans take on the role of ombudspersons. The ombudspersons for doctoral affairs are prescribed by the Higher Education Act of Baden-Württemberg.

Offices of Doctoral Affairs and Habilitations Offices of the Faculties

The Doctoral or Habilitations-Offices of your Faculty provide you with information on the process of your qualification phase (acceptance as doctoral candidate, supervision agreement, submission of dissertation or Habilitationsschrift, Viva etc.). Should you consider changing your supervisor, please also get in touch with the Office of Doctoral Affairs of your Faculty.

You can access the websites of the Offices of Doctoral Affairs here:

Faculty of Medicine
Faculty of Humanities
Faculty of Science
Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences
Faculty of Law
Faculty of Protestant Theology
Faculty of Catholic Theology
Center for Islamic Theology

Ombudspersons for Good Scientific Practice

Scientific misconduct can also be the cause of conflicts (lacking supervision may also be considered scientific misconduct). In cases of suspected scientific misconduct, anyone can contact the University’s ombudspersons for Good Scientific Practice. Further information on the topic of Good Scientific Practice and the Ombudspersons for Good Scientific Practice can be found here.