The Heinrich-Heine-University (HHU) is committed to the fact that good scientific practice is a central task of the university as a whole, which ranges from the organizational responsibility of the university management to the core area of the activities of the academic and academic-accessory staff, the qualification for academic degrees and teaching from the bachelor's or basic study period onwards. As a place of research, teaching and support of early stage researchers, the university has institutional responsibility for constructive cooperation in academic work. 'HHU obliges its members and affiliates to adhere to the rules of good research practice laid down in these rules, taking the particularities of their respective discipline into account. Each researcher is responsible for ensuring that his or her conduct complies with the standards of good research practice. In particular, the principles include working lege artis (i.e. according to the recognised standards in the respective discipline), maintaining strict honesty and transparency with regard to one’s own contributions and those of others, consistently questioning all findings, and allowing and fostering a critical discourse within the research community". (Source: Preamble of 'Rules on the principles for safeguarding good research practice at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf' dated 15 March 2022 (Official Bulletin no. 18/2022)

Teaching the principles, guidelines and recommendations of good scientific practice.
The Faculty of Arts fulfills this obligation by requiring all of its doctoral researchers who are writing a dissertation according to the current doctoral regulations to take a course in "Good Scientific Practice". The "Good Scientific Practice" course is offered regularly in the philGRAD program and is free of charge for all doctoral sresearchers of the faculty. Click here for course description and registration.

Confidential conflict counseling and mediation
If you have any questions or would like to raise a concern, you can always contact the office in confidence. Of course, we are also at your side in case of conflict and will advise you professionally and in a strictly confidential setting. If you are considering mediation, please contact us. Further information on our counseling services can be found here.

Ombudspersons of the Faculty of Humanities
In addition, the ombudspersons for good scientific practice are competent contact persons with integrity who can help you with legal and ethical questions. Contact details can be found on the right.

Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Humanities
The Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Humanities is an independent advisory body. It is composed of faculty representatives from the professorial staff, the academic staff and the student body.

The commission has the task of ethically evaluating research projects to be carried out by members of the university (i.e. by enrolled students, full-time university staff, private lecturers, associate professors, doctoral students) on or with human beings, as well as with data collected or evaluated on human beings, before the research begins, and of advising the responsible researchers.

Commission for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice at HHU
Heinrich Heine University has established a permanent "Commission for Ensuring Good Scientific Practice", which clarifies any issues ex officio and reports directly to the Rectorate. The ombudsperson for good scientific practice of the Faculty of Humanities is also a member of this commission.

Commission to ensure good scientific practice at the HHU
For this purpose, a standing "commission to ensure good scientific practice" has been set up which officially looks into any such matters and reports directly to the President’s office. The Ombudsperson on Good Scientific Practice of the faculty of Arts and Humanities is also part of the commission.