Good Research, Good Leadership, Good Work

The matter of good research, good leadership and good work is of high significance at KIT. Systematic PhD quality assurance has a long tradition at KIT as well as Good Research Practice.

As a doctoral researcher at KIT you have the opportunity to bring forward your opinions and requests for example by joining the conventions of doctoral researchers or the KHYS Steering Committee and to actively participate in shaping the promotion of young researchers.

The ▶ Guidelines for the Doctorate at KIT summarize the regulatory frameworks relevant to the doctorate and are intended to give orientation for both doctoral researchers and their supervisors. [▶ more]

Systematic PhD quality assurance has a long tradition at KIT. Since 2010, KHYS, for example, has been conducting surveys among KIT’s doctoral researchers to assess the quality of supervision and derive quality-improving measures from the results obtained. [▶ more]

The KIT Senate has issued by-laws to implement scientific integrity at KIT. For your guidance an english translation can be found in the ▶ Statutes for Safeguarding Good Research Practice. The rules are based on a longtime practice of the precursory institutions of the KIT, the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe and the University of Karlsruhe, and on  standards of quality assurance.

Compliance with the rules of good research practice is indispensable for all scientists. The ▶ Ombudspersons for Safeguarding Good Research Practice, as persons of trust, advise those who inform them about suspected scientific misconduct by others. On the other hand, those suspected of misconduct can also contact the responsible Ombudsperson.

In addition to their advisory activities, the Ombudsmen regularly give lectures at KIT, for example during the KIT Doctoral Days. Further information can be found in the presentation ▶ Gute Wissenschaftliche Praxis im Forschungsalltag (PDF file, only in German). Moreover, the ▶ Office for Good Scientific Practice and Ethical Principles at KIT (Office GWP) supports the communication and implementation of good research practice (German: "Gute wissenschaftliche Praxis", GWP) at KIT.

Furthermore, the ▶ German Research Ombudsman appointed by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; DFG) is available to all scientists for advice and support on questions of good research practice and its violation via scientific dishonesty.

The ▶ Guidelines for Ethical Principles of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) declare that all members of KIT are to make use the freedom of art and scholarship, research, and teaching, as described in Art. 5 par. 3 of the German Basic Law in a conscious and responsible manner.

The KIT Senate actively supports the discourse on ethics in science. To this end, it has appointed ▶ two Ombudspersons for Ethical Principle (KIT intranet) and an Ethics Committee. They are responsible for the further development of the ▶ Guidelines for Ethical Principles of KIT and for advising KIT members and associates and support them regarding sensitive issues. As a KIT member, you can contact one of the Ombudspersons with your questions at any time.

In addition, the ▶ Office for Good Scientific Practice and Ethical Principles at KIT (Office GWP) supports the Ombudspersons for Ethical Principles and the KIT Ethics Committee.

The conventions of doctoral researchers are the advocacy for doctoral researchers at KIT in accordance with Art. 38 par. 7 of the State Higher Education Act (Landeshochschulgesetz; LGH). [▶ more]

KHYS is partially steered by a steering committee consisting of university professors, research assistants, junior research group leaders, postdocs and doctoral researchers. The leadership of the KHYS Steering Committee lies with the vice president for research at KIT. [▶ more]

It is a vital concern to the KIT executive board, the KIT Senate and the staff council to offer a good work environment to those employed at KIT. For that reason, the executive board, senate and staff council have decided on the voluntary agreement ▶Good Work at KIT.

KIT is intent on upholding and improving realization of equality of opportunity between women and men in all areas of research, study and teaching, innovation and administration. The equality of opportunity is seen as a consistent leading principle in all areas of responsibility. [▶ more]

At KIT, the focus is on a holistic approach to diversity in order to understand all aspects of diversity as added value. We also want to make the best possible use of the skills of all employees for research and teaching, and their support. [▶ more]

The new Maternity Protection Act (▶ Mutterschutzgesetz (MuSchG)) came into force on January 1, 2018. [▶ more]