Good research practice • University of Passau

'Scientific integrity forms the basis for trustworthy research. It is an example of academic voluntary commitment that encompasses a respectful attitude towards peers, research participants, animals, cultural assets, and the environment, and strengthens and promotes vital public trust in research. [...] The research community itself ensures good practice through fair and honest attitudes and conduct as well as organisational and procedural regulations.'
(Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice – DFG Code of Conduct, September 2019)

Principles of good research practice

Adherence to the principles of good research practice is essential for good science. The University of Passau supports you, the established and early career researchers, in adhering to the following principles:

Good research practice

means working at the state of the art and always using the latest research findings.
requires the critical examination of both one's own scientific findings and those of other scientists and scholars, and the verification of these findings.
is characterised by strict honesty with regard to the contributions of partners, competitors and predecessors.
includes careful quality assurance, the documentation of all steps relevant to the research process and the preparation and maintenance of empirical research data. This ensures the comprehensibility and reproducibility of research results;
ensures the preservation of intellectual authorship in publishing by means of the correct use of citations.
allows and encourages critical discourse in the scientific community.

The University of Passau has adopted rules for the ascertainment of good research practice and for the investigation of alleged academic misconduct [German], which are binding for all members of the University.

In case of conflict between doctoral students and supervisors, or if there are suspicions of academic misconduct, the ombudspersons or members of the University's investigating committee can be contacted directly.

Training courses

The Graduate Centre offers non-subject-specific training courses to support prospective and current doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers in the successful completion of their research projects and their personal development, and promotes their professional success within or outside the academic sphere. Current seminar topics within the framework of good research practice include 'Academic Writing for Doctoral Students', webinars on plagiarism and copyright, and the e-learning tool 'Gute Wissenschaftliche Praxis' ('good research practice').

Current status of implementation of the DFG Code of Conduct

In 2019, the DFG issued new guidelines to ensure good research practice (DFG Code of Conduct). Universities have to implement and enforce this Code of Conduct by July 2022 to remain eligible for DFG funding after that date. Since the Code of Conduct covers a wide range of areas – including university-wide assignment of responsibilities, cross-faculty supervision recommendations and project-specific guidelines – a central steering committee was formed at the University of Passau. Since March 2021, representatives of the University Executive, the faculties, the central institutions and the academic support services have been holding regular meetings of the steering committee and the associated working groups to discuss and decide on how the DFG Code of Conduct is to be implemented at the University. A joint strategy will be formulated based on these meetings that will be made into the rules for good research practice and for addressing academic misconduct.

Professor Robert Obermeier, Vice President for Research
Professor Barbara Zehnpfennig, Ombudswoman
Professor Andreas König, Representative for the Faculty of Business, Economics and Information Systems
Professor Sebastian Martens, Representative for the Faculty of Law
Professor Judith Schweppe, Representative for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Professor Fabian Wirth, Representative for the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics
Professor Susanne Mayr, Representative for the Ethics Committee
Dr Stefan Halft, General Manager of the Graduate Centre
Sabine Wiendl, Research Services Division
Dr Stefanie Meister, Research Services Division