FAQs about the Ombuds system
The Ombuds Office is available to all members of the university as a point of contact for questions regarding good research practice. Furthermore, it accepts reports of suspected research misconduct in confidence, advises persons who report a suspicion or who are unintentionally involved in research misconduct and, on request of the informing person, establishes contact with an ombudsperson, the Ombuds Committee or, for reasons of competence, other university advisory bodies.
If you have a suspicion of research misconduct, you should contact the Ombuds Office for Good Research Practice. The Ombuds Office is responsible for receiving reports of suspected research misconduct confidentially, for checking in an initial interview whether the report is related to research misconduct, and explaining possible procedural steps within the ombuds system. Only if you agree to this will contact with an ombudsperson or other counselling services be established. You are also free to contact an ombudsperson directly if you suspect research misconduct.
All actors - the ombudspersons and the Ombuds Office - are bound to strict confidentiality. This means that any information you provide to the Ombuds Office or the ombudspersons will not be passed on without your consent. This procedure protects both you as a whistleblower and the suspected person from possibly unjustified and thus reputation-damaging criticism. The initiation of ombuds proceedings, i.e. an investigation of the suspected case by the Ombuds Committee, in which, among other things, the suspected person and possibly other witnesses are heard, only takes place with your consent.t.
It is generally possible to report a suspicion and receive advice without disclosing your name. However, in most cases this excludes further examination of the case by the ombudspersons/Ombuds Committee. In order to be able to carry out an appropriate examination in a suspicious case, the name of the whistleblower is usually required.
A withdrawal of a notification is possible at any time. An investigation of your suspicion by the Ombuds Committee will only take place if you have given your consent. On the basis of a personal risk assessment, you as the informing person can waive further investigation, even if your suspicion of research misconduct is well-founded.
Since allegations of research misconduct can have far-reaching professional and personal consequences for researchers, they should never be made lightly. In order to avoid a prejudgement of persons, you should report your suspicion confidentially to the Ombuds Office and seek advice on how to proceed. If you have evidence (e.g. documents) that is suitable to substantiate your suspicion, you should make it available to the Ombuds Office/Ombuds Committee.
The three ombudspersons of the University and their personal deputies are university teachers experienced in research. They represent the Humanities (Faculty of Philosophy, Faculty of Theology), Law, Social Sciences and Economics (Faculty of Law, Social Sciences and Economics) and the Life Sciences, Mathematics and Natural Sciences (Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Faculty of Chemistry, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Geography, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Faculty of Physics). The five ombudspersons of the University Medical Center come from different clinical and scientific fields.
It is the task of the ombudspersons to provide confidential advice to persons who report a suspicion or are unintentionally involved in cases of research misconduct, and to check the plausibility of suspected cases brought to their attention. The work of the ombudspersons is based on the goal of mediating between the parties and resolving disputes, as far as this is possible in accordance with the rules of good research practice. The ombudspersons are appointed by the Senate for a term of office of four years.
Together, the three ombudspersons of the University together form the Ombuds Committee. The Ombuds Committee can initiate an investigation (ombuds procedure) with the consent of the informant. It first examines whether there is an initial suspicion of misconduct in research. For this purpose, a hearing is held with the accused person and, if necessary, other witnesses. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, the Ombuds Committee may discontinue the proceedings, reject the suspicion after fulfilment of conditions or due to minor seriousness or, in the case of suspicion of uncorrectable research misconduct, refer the case to the Joint Investigation Commission of the University and University Medical Center. The investigation of academic misconduct in an undergraduate or postgraduate degree programme (e.g. in the context of a seminar paper, Bachelor's or Master's thesis) is not the responsibility of the Ombuds Committee, but of the respective faculty.
The Joint Investigation Commission consists of five members and their personal deputies. The members must include one person qualified to hold the office of judge, one person from the University Medical Center and at least two persons from outside the University. The Senate appoints the members of the Commission of Inquiry for a term of office of four years on the proposal of the President.
In cases in which the suspicion of research misconduct is substantiated in an ombuds procedure and/or the Ombuds Committee is unable to reach an agreement, the procedure is forwarded to the Investigation Committee. The Investigation Commission is responsible for the formal investigation of the allegation of research misconduct. This may include obtaining written statements, hearing the person suspected of misconduct and other witnesses. If the suspicion is confirmed, the Investigation Committee will make a recommendation for sanctions to the President/Dean of the Faculty of Medicine.