This workshop is offered in cooperation with the High Performance Center Simulation and Software Based Innovation.

When & Where

20.04.2026, 09:00 - 17:00, in Kaiserslautern, building 58, room 110

What is it about? 

As a researcher, you have the privilege of working freely and creatively, pursuing your own interests and expanding the knowledge base of the scientific community - and the community in general. This freedom comes with responsibility: the responsibility for self-control, accuracy, honesty, efficiency and objectivity. The scientific community has established rules for research integrity integrity, aimed at preserving the freedom of research and preventing scientific misconduct.
In this workshop, participants will learn about the rules of scientific integrity and good scientific practice and learn how to avoid research misconduct.
The workshop presents the current statutes on research integrity (Singapore Statement, ALLEA Code of Conduct, DFG Codex, guidelines of the German Rectors' Conference) as well as local regulations.
In addition, awareness of the importance of good scientific practice in the various scientific disciplines is to be raised. The workshop will not only focus on compliance but also prepares scientists from all academic disciplines for the complexities and dilemmas of everyday research by promoting the development of morals and values.
It is based on the DFG curriculum “Good Scientific Practice” for courses in Science and Medicine | G. Sponholz | 10/2011, as well as the Horizon 2020-funded Virt2ue concept | Embassy of Good Science 2020 (https://embassy.science/wiki/Training), with a particular focus on the following topics: 

-detecting scientific misconduct
-Storage, handling and protection of data,
-documentation,
-publication process and authorship,
-plagiarism/ AI
-conflict resolution / ombuds system.

The workshop encourages the active participation of the participants and offers case discussions, individual working sessions, plenary discussions and information inputs. All participants will receive relevant links to useful resources, a tool kit with publications, institutional guidelines and local contact points that they can refer to throughout their academic career. These skills are also valuable for researchers moving on to other career paths.

Target group & Language

Young researchers at the RPTU and the Fraunhofer institutes ITWM and IESE.

Language: English

Trainer

Dr. Michael Mende

Michael Mende has a degree in biology from the Gutenberg University of Mainz. He received his PhD in Genetics and Developmental Biology, also in Mainz, in 2004 followed by two postdoctoral positions at King's College London, UK and Memorial Sloan Kettering Institute in New York, NY, USA, he coordinated the graduate programs Quantitative Biosciences Munich (QBM) and the International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP). Since 2019 Michael Mende is Research Coordinator at the Couzin Chair at the University of Konstanz and Head of Animal Husbandry at the Department of Collective Behavior at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz. Since 2020 he has the role of Ombudsman at the said institute. In addition to the voluntary role as Ombud, he also voluntary work on the Animal Welfare Commission of the Freiburg Regional Council. Michael Mende has experience in teaching courses on good scientific practice since 2019.

Registration

Participation is limited. Please register bindingly for this course via our online registration form by April 3, 2026

The workshop is open to all early career researchers at RPTU and of Fraunhofer ITWM and IESE. Participation is free of charge. Please note our information on the conditions of participation and on registration.

If you have any questions, please contact the REaCh office: reach-info[at]rptu.de