Committee for the Investigation of Charges of Academic or Research Misconduct

PRINCIPLES
of RheinMain University of Applied Sciences
to
ENSURE GOOD ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH PRACTICES

The following principles were unanimously passed by the President's Council of RheinMain University (formerly Fachhochschule Wiesbaden) in the context of the president's decision-making powers in urgent cases according to the Hesse Higher Education Act §44 Section 4 on August 19, 2002. They are based on a recommendation of the HRK (Hochschulrektorenkonferenz, German University Rector's Conference).

§ 1 Guiding Principles

(1) Scientists and researchers working at RheinMain University must

• conduct their work lege artis (using state-of-the-art practices and information),
• document their results and thoroughly question and test the outcomes of their researchdocument their results and thoroughly question and test the outcomes of their research,
• observe strict honesty regarding the contributions of partners, competitors and predecessors,
• not engage in and prevent academic and research misconduct and
• abide by the rules outlined below.

(2) Next to measures to identify and take action against academic and research misconduct, appropriate measures to prevent academic and research misconduct shall be taken. The university as a place of research, teaching and studying acknowledges a special institutional responsibility in this area.

(3) Each leader of a research group must model good and academic research practice. Students and researchers need to be attentive to possible misconduct in their immediate environment, not least in the interest of their own future professional careers.

(4) The faculties are to include instruction regarding what constitutes academic and research misconduct in their curricula and to inform students and researchers about the guidelines in effect at RheinMain University.

§ 2 Cooperation and Leadership Responsibility in Research and Other Work Groups

Leaders of research groups are responsible for organizing their groups so that leadership, oversight, conflict resolution and quality control tasks are unambiguously assigned and to make sure that these tasks are actually being carried out.

§ 3 Guidance of Junior Researchers

Leaders of research and work groups are responsible for providing appropriate guidance and advising for students, graduate students and Ph.D. candidates within their groups. Each student, graduate student or Ph.D. candidate must be assigned a primary mentor who will inform her or him about RheinMain University's guidelines to ensure good academic and research practices.

§ 4 Performance and Evaluation Criteria

As performance and evaluation criteria for exams, for the conferral of academic degrees and for professorial appointments, originality and quality have precedence over quantity. RheinMain University will apply this guideline to its design of evaluation procedures.

§ 5 Safeguarding and Storage of Primary Data

Primary data that form the basis of publications is to be stored on durable and protected data storage devices in the institution in which they were generated for a period of ten years. Whenever possible, specimens that were used to create primary data should be stored for the same period of time.

§ 6 Academic Publications

Authors of academic publications are always jointly responsible for their content. So-called "honorary authorship" is not permitted.

§ 7 Procedure in Cases of Suspected Academic or Research Misconduct

(1) In cases of suspected academic or research misconduct, RheinMain University complies with the recommendations of the German Rectors' Conference (Hochschulrektorenkonferenz, HRK)  "Dealing with Academic or Research Misconduct at Institutions of Higher Education." These recommendations of the 185. plenum of July 6th, 1998 are a binding part of the guidelines of RheinMain University.

(2) In implementing the HRK recommendations, the President's Council of RheinMain University has created a committee, which includes one representative from each of the three study locations of the university. The committee co-opts one further member from the subject area of the field in which academic or research misconduct is suspected. The committee members are appointed for three years.

(3) The President's Council of Hochschule RheinMain appoints an experienced professor as contact person (ombudsperson) for those who want to bring forward charges of academic or research misconduct. The ombudsperson confidentially advises those who inform her or him of academic or research misconduct and pursues relevant information he or she receives from other sources on her or his own accord. The ombudsperson examines the charges regarding their plausibility, their specificity and significance, their motives and with a view to the possibility of clearing up the charges.

A deputy will be appointed for the ombudsperson, who will take action in case of an absence or conflict of interests of the ombudsperson.

The persons appointed as ombudspersons should not hold any office or position such as dean or head of a program or direct superior that would require them to take actions themselves by virtue of the information on misconduct charges they receive. Each member of the university enjoys the right to make a short-term personal appointment with the ombudsperson.

The ombudsperson and her or his deputy are appointed for three years each; a further appointment is not possible.

Der Ombudsmann/die Ombudsfrau und sein/seine Stellvertreter/Stellvertreterin werden jeweils für drei Jahre bestellt; eine wiederholte Bestellung ist möglich.

• Professor Bernhard Gross, Faculty of Engineering
• Professor Reinhold Kröger, Faculty of Design – Computer Science – Media
• Professor Max-Bernhard Schröder, Geisenheim Faculty

Term of office: November 29, 2010-November 28, 2013.

• Professor Claudia Aymar, Faculty of Design – Computer Science – Media

Term of office: November 29, 2010-November 28, 2013.

• Professor Friedemann Völklein, Faculty of Engineering Ingenieurwissenschaften

Term of office: November 29, 2010-November 28, 2013.