Good Scientific Practice
As an international research university, the University of Tübingen expects its researchers to adhere to established standards of good scientific practice. Violations of these standards can not only destroy the reputation of the responsible researcher, but can also seriously damage the reputation of our university.
Guidelines
The rules for good research practice, to which all members of the University of Tübingen are committed, are anchored in the University of Tübingen Guidelines for Ensuring Good Scientific Practice.
The Tübingen Guidelines are based on the Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice - Code of Conduct of the German Research Foundation (DFG).
At the University of Tübingen, various confidential representatives and the Commission for the Investigation of Misconduct in Science are responsible for alleged violations of the rules of good scientific practice. Download list of confidential representatives and commission members (PDF in German)
Confidential representatives in accordance with Section 7 VerfO (Rules of Procedure)
Medicine
Regular confidential representatives
- Prof. Dr. Ingeborg Krägeloh-Mann
- Prof. Dr. H. Peter Rodemann
Deputy confidential representatives
- Prof. Dr. Marlies Knipper
- Prof. Dr. Tobias Renner
Sciences
Regular confidential representatives
- Prof. Dr. Claudia Oecking, Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP)
- TBC
Deputy confidential representatives
- Prof. Dr. Doris Kunz, Department of Chemistry
- Prof. Dr. Claus Zimmermann, Department of Physics
Humanities
Regular confidential representatives
- Prof. Dr. Sigrid Hirbodian, Department of History
- Prof. Dr. Markus Pudelko, Department of Economics
Deputy confidential representatives
- Prof. Dr. Valeria Merlo, Department of Economics
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Sattig, Department of Philosophy and Media
Period in office: March 17, 2020 to March 16, 2023
Members of the Commission for the Investigation of Misconduct in Science in accordance with Section 7 VerfO (Rules of Procedure)
Medicine
Regular member of the commission
Prof. Dr. Olga Garaschuk, Institute of Physiology
Deputy member of the commission
Prof. Dr. Julia Skokowa, Internal Medicine
Sciences
Regular member of the commission
Prof. Dr. Lars Wesemann, Department of Chemistry
Deputy member of the commission
Prof. Dr. Felix Wichmann, Department of Computer Science
Humanities
Regular member of the commission
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Forster, Faculty of Law
Deputy member of the commission
Prof. Dr. Matthias Möhring-Hesse, Faculty of Catholic Theology
Academic employees
Regular member of the commission
PD Dr. Elisabeth Fuß, Department of Biology
Deputy member of the commission
Dr. Rolf Frankenberger, Department of Social Sciences
From outside the University
Regular member of the commission
Prof. Dr. Michael Schramm, University of Hohenheim
Deputy member of the commission
TBC
Period in office: March 17, 2020 to March 16, 2023
The German Rectors' Conference (HRK), the German Research Foundation, the German Council of Science and Humanities (Wissenschaftsrat), and the National Academy of Sciences and Humanities Leopoldina have expressed their views on good scientific practice and scientific misconduct in several position papers.
Position papers on good scientific practice
- University of Tübingen's rules of procedure for dealing with academic misconduct (2018 version)
- University of Tübingen Guidelines for Ensuring Good Scientific Practice
- Scientific Freedom and Scientific Responsibility. Recommendations for Handling Security-Relevant Research. Joint position paper by the German Research Foundation and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
- Position paper on freedom of opinion at the University of Tübingen
Further references
- Gute wissenschaftliche Praxis an deutschen Hochschulen. Empfehlung der 14. HRK-Mitgliederversammlung vom 14.5.2013
- Empfehlungen zu wissenschaftlicher Integrität. Positionspapier des Wissenschaftsrates vom 27. April 2015
- Sicherung guter wissenschaftlicher Praxis / Proposals for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice (German Research Foundation (DFG), memorandum, German and English) (PDF)
Animal testing
Animal testing requires particular sensitivity from researchers.
Medical research projects involving humans
The Ethics Commission at the Faculty of Medicine and the University Hospital in Tübingen is responsible for medical research projects involving humans.
Academic misconduct
Please contact one of the confidential representatives if you are a member of the university and suspect or wish to report academic misconduct or violations of good scientific practice. The confidential representatives are sworn to absolute secrecy and are independent in the performance of their duties. The confidential representative in question will examine the significance of this suspicion of academic misconduct in detail with regard to the plausibility of these accusations. Justified cases will be passed on to the Commission for the Investigation of Misconduct in Science.
For details see the University of Tübingen's rules of procedure for dealing with academic misconduct (2018 version).
Attacks on researchers
The Faculties’ confidential representatives mentioned above are first and foremost there to address questions regarding good academic practice and issues of suspected academic misconduct. Beyond that, cases may arise which are not necessarily covered by the University’s rules of procedure for dealing with misconduct in academia or by any other established procedures at the University. This includes attacks on academics, for example due to public statements or because of research and/or methods regarded as undesirable.
In such cases, University of Tübingen academics may contact their Faculty’s confidential representative. This is intended as an easy-access first stop within the affected academic’s respective field. In the case of serious attacks that may constitute a criminal offence (threat, insult, physical violence), the person concerned should also contact the police and inform the University President’s Office.
In addition, there is a Committee for Conflict Mediation at the University of Tübingen, which can be called upon primarily in the event of conflicts between employees or between employees and students of the University. The members of the committee provide advisory support to prevent conflicts or to defuse existing conflicts.