Statement on Discounts on Data Fees for (PhD) Students

The Scientific Advisory Group (WBK) of the Research Data Centers of the Federal and State Statistical Offices (FDZ) of the Federal Statistical Office (DESTATIS), of which Prof. Dr. Cygan-Rehm is a member, has published a position paper on discounts on data fees for qualification theses (Bachelor, Master, and PhD theses). The focus is particularly on doctoral researchers who conduct their projects at non-university research institutions.

Under the new FDZ fee schedule, discounts for qualification theses by students and doctoral researchers are still foreseen, but only if a university is the contractual partner. For many doctoral and student projects carried out at institutions such as institutes of the Leibniz Association, the Max Planck Society, or the Helmholtz Association, the regular – in some cases four- to five-digit – fees apply if the institution cannot cover the costs. In the WBK’s view, this leads to unjustified unequal treatment and makes empirical projects by early-career researchers more difficult or even impossible.

The WBK calls for discounts to be tied consistently to the purpose of data use – the scientific qualification thesis – rather than to the institutional affiliation of the research institution. Specifically, the WBK asks the FDZ to adopt a discount regulation that also covers students and doctoral researchers at non-university research institutions, provided the project is a qualification thesis.

The statement (in German) is available on the DESTATIS website.