Honesty in research
Science thrives on trust. Scientists should therefore have adopted the basic rules of truthfulness, fairness, methodological transparency and the recognition of scientific achievements by third parties. Violations of the rules of good scientific practice damage science, undermine the trust of politics and society in science and thus undermine the foundation of the modern knowledge society.
Contact persons
Self-regulation of science
The University Senate appoints an ombudsperson and deputy ombudsperson on the recommendation of the university leadership as contact persons for all those who wish to report allegations of academic misconduct or seek advice in this regard.
Every member of the University has the right to speak to the ombudsperson within a short period of time and in confidence.
The ombudspersons are obliged to maintain confidentiality. In many cases, suspected or actual misconduct can be clarified after both sides have been heard. Only in serious cases does the Commission have to be involved. The procedure is set out in the relevant regulations (opens in a new window). (This PDF is not accessible) (PDF/246 KB).
Ombudsman
Prof. Dr rer. nat. Reinhard Sterner
Chair of Biochemistry II
Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry
Building BIO, Room E3_1.313
Phone 0941 943-3015
E-mail reinhard.sterner(at)ur.de (opens your email program)
Deputy Ombudswoman
Prof. Dr phil. Christiane Heibach
Professorship for Media Aesthetics
Institute of Information and Media, Language and Culture (I:IMSK)
Building PT, Room 3.0.18
Phone 0941 943-5661
E-mail christiane.heibach(at)ur.de (opens your email program)
Guidelines
Regulations of the University of Regensburg
- "Regulations of the University of Regensburg to ensure good scientific practice" (PDF/246 KB)
from 7 July 2021- english version: University of Regensburg Regulations for Ensuring Good Academic Practice (PDF/131 KB)
Other guidelines and recommendations
- Portal Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Academic Practice: Code of Conduct
Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice
German Research Foundation, December 2020 - Authorship and data use
Ombudsman for science (May 2020) - Recommendations on Academic Integrity (PDF/1.3 MB)
Recommendations on Academic Integrity (PDF/3.6 MB)
Position paper of the German Council of Science and Humanities of 27 April 2015 - Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly work in Medical Journals
International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) of December 2019 - Guidelines for Good Scientific Practice (PDF/86 KB)
Association of German Constitutional Law Professors of 3 October 2012 - Code of Ethics of the Verein für Socialpolitik (PDF/220 KB)
Umbrella organisation of German economists of 8 December 2021 - "Good scientific practice for the writing of scientific qualification papers" (PDF/54 KB)
Position paper of the General Faculty Day, the Faculty Days and the German University Association of 6 July 2012 - "Requirements for the quality assurance of doctoral theses" (PDF/218 KB)
Position paper of the German Council of Science and Humanities of 11 November 2011
Positions
- Katrin Frisch, Felix Hagenstr?m, Nele Reeg, Scientific Fairness: Science between Integrity and Misconduct (Bielefeld: transcript, 2022) (PDF/1.9 MB)
- "'Self-plagiarism' and good scientific practice" (PDF/99 KB)
- Power Abuse and Conflict Resolution (PDF/100 KB)
Power Abuse and Conflict Resolution
joint position paper of the Leibniz PhD Network and the Max Planck PhDnet from May 2019
Commission
Commission to investigate allegations of scientific misconduct
The commission is appointed by the Senate. It consists of three professors at the University of Regensburg who are experienced in research, one of whom should be qualified to hold judicial office.
The commission becomes active at the request of the ombudsperson, their deputy or one of its members. Further details are regulated by the regulations of the principles on the compliance of good academic practice (→ see GUIDELINES).
The procedure before the Commission does not replace other procedures regulated by law or the statutes. These may be initiated by the relevant competent bodies.
Members of the Commission
- Prof Dr Antje B?umner
- Prof. Dr Bernhard L?ffler
- Prof. Dr Gerit Manssen
Links
Links to institutions of self-regulation
- Ombudsman for Science (appointed by the DFG in 1999)
- Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
- Office of Research Integrity (ORI) (US Department of Health and Human Services)
Curricula for good scientific practice
- Curricula for courses (Ombudsman for Science, continuously updated)
- Learning units on plagiarism, recognising plagiarism and avoiding plagiarism (HTW Berlin)
- Avoiding plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and other questionable writing practices: A guide to ethical writing (Miguel Roig, ORI, 2009)