According to DFG guidelines for safeguarding good academic practice the principles of good academic practice "include, in particular, working lege artis, maintaining strict honesty with regard to one's own contributions and those of third parties, consistently questioning all results oneself and allowing and promoting critical discourse in the scientific community."^[1]

Based on these principles, the principles for safeguarding good academic practice at Carl von Ossietzky University defines the following requirements:

1. "Scientists* must plan and carry out each sub-step in the research process to the best of their knowledge and belief in accordance with the latest state of knowledge lege artis, for which the University of Oldenburg creates the necessary framework conditions for them. To identify relevant and suitable research questions, they carefully research research achievements that have already been made publicly available. When planning a project, the current state of research must be fully taken into account. When carrying out a project, they apply scientifically sound and comprehensible methods, attach particular importance to quality assurance and the establishment of standards when developing and applying new methods and critically examine all results with regard to their plausibility. In doing so, they are guided by the DFG's current guidelines for ensuring good academic practice. Strict honesty must be maintained with regard to the contributions of partners, superiors, employees, colleagues, competitors and predecessors. All sources consulted must be mentioned and the traceability of citations must be guaranteed.
   
2. Methods to avoid (unconscious) bias in the interpretation of findings, for example blinding of test series, are applied as far as possible. Researchers examine whether and, if so, to what extent gender and diversity can be significant for the research project (with regard to the methods, the work programme, the objectives, etc.). The respective framework conditions are taken into account when interpreting findings.
   
3. If researchers have made findings publicly available and subsequently notice inconsistencies or errors, they correct them. If the discrepancies or errors give rise to the retraction of a publication, they should work with the relevant publisher or infrastructure provider etc. as quickly as possible to ensure that the correction or retraction is made and labelled accordingly. The same applies if third parties draw their attention to such discrepancies or errors.
   
4. The methods used, findings and results as well as other primary data must be appropriately documented and generally retained for at least ten years. Precise, comprehensible logging and documentation of the scientific procedure and results applies in particular to experimental work, for which the repeatability of the investigations and experiments is an essential feature.
   
5. Documentation and research results must not be manipulated; they must be protected against manipulation as far as possible.
   
6. Scientific results are usually communicated to the scientific community in the form of publications and reports. This means that scientific publications and reports, just like empirical scientific studies, are the product of the work of scientists.
   
7. The discipline-related and subject-specific principles of scientific work must be observed. This also includes observing and complying with the relevant legal regulations and voluntary commitments. In the case of experiments on or with humans and identifiable human materials, the Embryo Protection Act, the Stem Cell Act, the Medicinal Products Act, the Medical Devices Act and the Declaration of Helsinki must be observed in particular. In the case of animal experiments, the provisions of the Animal Protection Act and the Laboratory Animal Ordinance must be complied with. If parts of the research project fall under the Convention on Biological Diversity, the DFG guidelines for research projects falling under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) must be observed. For experiments with genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the Genetic Engineering Act and associated legal ordinances must be observed. If necessary, scientists obtain authorisations and votes from the Commission for Research Assessment and Ethics or the university's medical ethics committee." ^[2]

According to the Carl von Ossietzky University's principles for safeguarding good academic practice , scientific misconduct occurs "if scientists have intentionally or grossly negligently made false statements in the field of science, infringed the intellectual property of others or seriously impaired their research activities. The circumstances of the individual case are decisive" ^[3]

"Scientific misconduct includes in particular

1. Misrepresentation [...];
2. infringement of intellectual property relating to a copyrighted work created by another person (including drawings, pictorial representations and the like) or to essential scientific findings, hypotheses, doctrines or research approaches originating from others [...]
   
3. not naming authors who have made a significant contribution to the research project. The particularities of each discipline must be taken into account [...].
4. the naming of a non-author as (co-)author
   
5. the publication of texts, data or data analyses created by other authors as one's own with their consent (so-called ghostwriting),
   
6. seriously impairing research activities by sabotaging and damaging, destroying or manipulating experiments, experimental set-ups, devices, data collection instruments, documents, hardware, software, chemical or biological substances or materials or other items that another person needs to carry out scientific work
   
7. the removal of data, insofar as this violates legal provisions or the principles of the storage of primary data (§ 9),
   
8. the careless handling of accusations of scientific misconduct itself, in particular the making of false accusations against one's better judgement
   
9. Joint responsibility for scientific misconduct can arise, among other things, from:
   a) active participation in the misconduct of others,
   b) knowledge of falsifications by others,
   c) co-authorship of falsified publications or
   d) gross neglect of scientific supervisory duties. "^[4]

"Any scientific misconduct violates both the self-image and the credibility of science. Academic misconduct jeopardises the work of other academics and damages not only the reputation of the person acting dishonestly, but also the reputation of the university and academia as a whole."^[5]

Consequences under labour and employment law

Depending on the employment relationship, different consequences under labour and employment law may be considered. In the case of an employment relationship with the university, a warning, reprimand, extraordinary dismissal (including dismissal on suspicion), ordinary dismissal and/or termination of contract may be issued.
The following consequences may be considered for affected persons in a civil service relationship with the university: warning, reprimand, fine, salary reduction, removal from service, withdrawal of appointment and disciplinary measures against retired civil servants. ^[6]

Consequences under civil and public law

"The following consequences under civil and public law may be considered in the event of academic misconduct:

1. Withdrawal or cancellation of funding decisions as well as recall of approved funds or recovery of funds already spent;
2. Issuing a ban from the premises;
3. Enforcement and, if necessary, execution of claims for restitution against affected persons, in particular with regard to stolen materials, documents or data
4. Claims for removal and injunctive relief under copyright law, general personal rights, patent law and competition law
5. claims for damages by the University of Oldenburg or third parties in the event of personal injury, damage to property or other violations of legal interests
6. Withdrawal of examination results."^[6]

Academic consequences

As a consequence of misconduct, the withdrawal of an academic degree (Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, Diplom degree, Magister degree, doctoral degree, Dr. habil. degree) or an academic title (Privatdozent*in, außerplanmäßiger*r Professor*in) must also be considered, especially if the degree or title is based on a forgery. ^[7]

"If the scientific misconduct consists of false statements or an infringement of intellectual property or participation in such misconduct, the author concerned must be requested to retract the relevant parts. If the work in question is still unpublished, the author concerned shall be requested to withdraw it in due time. [...]"^[8]

Consequences under criminal and regulatory offence law

"The consequences of scientific misconduct under criminal and administrative offence law come into question if there are sufficient factual indications (so-called initial suspicion) that an offence under the German Criminal Code (StGB), the German Administrative Offences Act (OWiG) or other laws has been committed."^[8]

These offences include, for example, the accusation of forgery of documents or copyright infringement^[8].

"In order to ensure good academic practice, it is necessary to take measures to prevent scientific misconduct from occurring. Teaching the basics of good scientific work begins as early as possible in academic teaching and scientific training. People working in science at all career levels regularly update their knowledge of the standards of good academic practice and the state of research" ^[10]

Thus, Carl von Ossietzky University provides students with clear and written principles and procedures for "good academic practice" (GWP) and teaches them the basics of GWP. In addition, the university creates framework conditions for researchers and academic staff to comply with GWP ^[11].
This includes the provision of principles on various academic procedures, academic collaboration and research ^[12] and infrastructural measures to safeguard primary data ^[13].

"Good Clinical Practice (GCP) is an international ethical and scientific standard for the planning, conduct, documentation and reporting of human clinical trials. Compliance with this standard creates public confidence that the rights, safety and welfare of trial subjects are protected in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and that the data collected during the clinical trial are credible."^[14]

You are also welcome to address specific questions to Dr Heike Hennig (Head of the Coordination Centre for Clinical Trials (KKS)) and the Medical Ethics Committee.

Further information on this topic can be found on the following websites:

Regulations on the principles for safeguarding good academic practice at Carl von Ossietzky University

Guidelines for safeguarding good academic practice (DFG)

Academic integrity (DFG)

Ombudsman for science

ICH principles of good clinical practice

[1] wissenschaftliche-integritaet.de/kodex/verpflichtung-auf-die-allgemeinen-prinzipien/ (DFG guidelines for safeguarding good academic practice, last accessed on: 08.10.2021)

[2] https://uol.de/uni/amtliche_mitteilungen/datei/?file=AM2022-064_Ordnung_gute-wissenschaftliche_Praxis.pdf&ts=1673944103 (Regulations on the principles for safeguarding good academic practice at the University of Oldenburg, dated 5 October 2022, pp. 2-3)

[3] https://uol.de/uni/amtliche_mitteilungen/datei/?file=AM2022-064_Ordnung_gute-wissenschaftliche_Praxis.pdf&ts=1673944103 (Regulations on the principles for safeguarding good academic practice at the University of Oldenburg, dated 5 October 2022, p. 11)

[4] https://uol.de/uni/amtliche_mitteilungen/datei/?file=AM2022-064_Ordnung_gute-wissenschaftliche_Praxis.pdf&ts=1673944103 (Regulations on the principles for safeguarding good academic practice at the University of Oldenburg, dated 5 October 2022, pp. 11-12)

[5] https://uol.de/uni/amtliche_mitteilungen/datei/?file=AM2022-064_Ordnung_gute-wissenschaftliche_Praxis.pdf&ts=1673944103 (Regulations on the principles for safeguarding good academic practice at the University of Oldenburg, dated 5 October 2022, p. 2)

[6] https://uol.de/uni/amtliche_mitteilungen/datei/?file=AM2022-064_Ordnung_gute-wissenschaftliche_Praxis.pdf&ts=1673944103 (Regulations on the principles for safeguarding good academic practice at the University of Oldenburg, dated 5 October 2022, p. 19)

[7] https://uol.de/uni/amtliche_mitteilungen/datei/?file=AM2022-064_Ordnung_gute-wissenschaftliche_Praxis.pdf&ts=1673944103 (Regulations on the principles for safeguarding good academic practice at the University of Oldenburg, dated 5 October 2022, p. 18)

[8] https://uol.de/uni/amtliche_mitteilungen/datei/?file=AM2022-064_Ordnung_gute-wissenschaftliche_Praxis.pdf&ts=1673944103 (Regulations on the principles for safeguarding good academic practice at the University of Oldenburg, dated 5 October 2022, p. 20)

[9] https://uol.de/uni/amtliche_mitteilungen/datei/?file=AM2022-064_Ordnung_gute-wissenschaftliche_Praxis.pdf&ts=1673944103 (Regulations on the principles for safeguarding good academic practice at the University of Oldenburg, dated 5 October 2022, p. 17)

[10] https://uol.de/uni/amtliche_mitteilungen/datei/?file=AM2022-064_Ordnung_gute-wissenschaftliche_Praxis.pdf&ts=1673944103 (Regulations on the principles for safeguarding good academic practice at the University of Oldenburg, dated 5 October 2022, p. 3-4)

[11] https://uol.de/uni/amtliche_mitteilungen/datei/?file=AM2022-064_Ordnung_gute-wissenschaftliche_Praxis.pdf&ts=1673944103 (Regulations on the principles for safeguarding good academic practice at the University of Oldenburg, dated 5 October 2022, p. 4)

[12] https://uol.de/uni/amtliche_mitteilungen/datei/?file=AM2022-064_Ordnung_gute-wissenschaftliche_Praxis.pdf&ts=1673944103 (Regulations on the principles for safeguarding good academic practice at the University of Oldenburg, dated 5 October 2022, p. 4-8)

[13] https://uol.de/uni/amtliche_mitteilungen/datei/?file=AM2022-064_Ordnung_gute-wissenschaftliche_Praxis.pdf&ts=1673944103 (Regulations on the principles for safeguarding good academic practice at the University of Oldenburg, dated 5 October 2022, p. 8)

[14] ichgcp.net/en (ICH guideline on good clinical practice, last accessed on: 08/10/2021)