All MWK-FELLOWS research activities have to respect fundamental ethics principles, including those reflected in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the relevant Ethics Rules of Horizon 2020. Ethical compliance is seen as pivotal to achieve true excellence in research. These principles include the requisite to ensure the freedom of research and the need to protect the physical and moral integrity of individuals and the welfare of animals. The research projects of MWK-FELLOWS are not known in advance, but may concern ethical issues related to human beings. One such example is research on the Human Rights of Adivasis in India (a current research project at the Max-Weber-Kolleg Erfurt).
In order to identify any ethics issues that could be raised by MWK-FELLOWS’ potential research projects, various measures are taken:
Standards of Good Scientific Practice and Ethical Conduct
The Higher Education Law of the Federal State of Thuringia (ThürHG) sets high standards for observing good scientific practice and for ethical conduct. Within the University of Erfurt the standing Ethics Committee is responsible for the observance of good scientific practice and can be appealed to at any time by any member of the university. Its guidelines are outlined in a code of procedures, following the recommendations of the German Research Foundation (DFG).
Part of these guidelines are the rules concerning potential conflicts of interest. The governing boards of the Max-Weber-Kolleg and the committee chairs will pay careful attention to any potential conflict of interest that could be encountered by those involved in the selection process. Reviewers and members of involved committees will be requested to declare any potential conflicts of interest beforehand. Reviewers are selected on the basis of strict criteria for the appointment of reviewers.
In case of serious violations of the standards of good scientific practice or of the code of ethics dismissal is possible according to the legal regulations of German employment law.
MWK-Fellows have to adhere to the guidelines for good scientific practice of the EU (Ethical Issue Form and Ethics for Researchers), of the DFG (Proposals for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice) and of the University of Erfurt (Ethikkodex).
In case of ethical problems concerning research projects MWK-Fellows can contact the board for ethical issues in research of the University of Erfurt (Ethikbeirat). In case of ethical problems concerning good scientific practice MWK-Fellows can contact the commission of inquiry or the trusted person for good scientific practice of the University of Erfurt(Untersuchungskommission und Vertrauensperson).
Additionally MWK-Fellows have to observe data protection regulations according to the legislation of Thuringia (ThürDSG), national legislation (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz) and European legislation (GDPR).
Max-Weber-Kolleg für kultur- und sozialwissenschaftliche Studien
Universität Erfurt
Postfach 90 02 21
99105 Erfurt
Universität Erfurt (Campus)
Nordhäuser Str. 63
99089 Erfurt