Position on Good Scientific Practice

After years of work and countless discussions, the TUM Graduate Council’s position paper on Good Scientific Practice was unanimously adopted during the meeting on May 29, 2018.

In the two-page position paper, the Graduate Council picks up on the topic from the corresponding TUM guidelines and, among other things, calls for courses for both students and PhD candidates: the goal being a raised awareness for good scientific practice as early and in step with actual practice as possible. While such courses are already being offered for example by the Department of Mechanical Engineering, many departments still have some catching up to do. In order to ensure that supervisors obey a consistent high standard in their own working groups, special courses for aspiring professors are also called for.

Furthermore, the Graduate Council demands an increased protection for those affected by the scientific misconduct of others. After all, doctoral candidates feeling morally impelled to inform the ombudsperson of misconduct by supervisors, should not have to fear for their own PhD projects.

Even before its final adoption, the position paper had gained a certain fame. At the time of writing, it has already been presented to the Vice President for Research and Innovation, Prof. Thomas Hofmann, to the Projekt Manager of the Research Integrity Office, Ms. Erika Schropp, to the Managers of the Graduate Centers and to TUM Graduate School staff – and was very well received by all parties. Moreover, an official presentation of the position was also held by the speaker of the TUM Graduate Council, Christoph Gschnaidtner, in the 302. meeting of the TUM Senate .