Reports of misconduct
Table of contents
All members and associates of TU Dresden treat each other in a responsible and respectful manner. Compliance with legal, academic and internal organizational regulations is a matter of course for us.
However, in order to recognize misconduct or violations of rules at an early stage in the event of non-compliance, to counteract them and thus prevent far-reaching consequences, we are also dependent on serious information from you about possible violations. We guarantee that this will be handled in confidence.
Providing information
We encourage you to first seek a cooperative solution to any difficulties, e.g. in a personal meeting. You are also welcome to involve the available advice centers, e.g. on all aspects of studying, anti-discrimination, good scientific practice, anti-corruption or the conflict pilots. They will be happy to provide you with advice and support.
If a cooperative solution to the problem is not possible and/or not effective, please let us know in order to promote integrity, appreciation, transparency and justice and to prosecute misconduct or violations of applicable regulations.
You should report to us if you notice serious violations of legal, research or university-specific rules and regulations, or if there is a probable impending threat thereof. These could be criminal offenses such as bribery, fraud or larceny, scientific misconduct, or significant personal limitations within the context of the General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG).
It is important that reports of misconduct or violations of regulations be formulated as specifically as possible to help us properly review and investigate them. It is particularly helpful for you to ask yourself the following questions when submitting a report:
- Who committed the violation?
- What happened?
- Where did it happen?
- When did it happen?
- What form of proof can be provided?
Please ensure that the descriptions in your report can be understood by people who do not work in your field or institution.
Only share information that you can assume to be true to the best of your knowledge. No one should be suspected of wrongdoing on the basis of false or misleading information. This is also an aspect of behavior in line with our regulatory compliance goals. Deliberately false accusations may be subject to prosecution in a court of civil or criminal law (Section 164 of the German Criminal Code, StGB).
If it becomes apparent within the scope of a later investigation that your information was incorrect, you do not need to fear any negative consequences insofar as your report was made in good faith that your information was indeed correct and you took due care verifying your information at the time that it was reported.
If you are uncertain, you can also request consultation regarding a potential violation.
All members and associate members of TU Dresden (in particular staff and students) as well as non-university members may submit reports of misconduct or violation, either individually or as a group.
- In general, members and associate members of TU Dresden can turn to their supervisors, to someone from the leadership level above or to the university management if necessary.
- You can also get in touch with the various contacts responsible for different areas of activity or issues with reports of misconduct or violations. For cases of corruption and property offenses, this would be the Anti-Corruption Officer, for scientific misconduct the Ombudsperson, the contact for cases of harassment, discrimination and violence for such incidents as these, and the Student and/or the Academic Program Coordinator for concerns in the realm of education.
Concerns of misconduct or violations can be reported
- In person
- By phone
- In writing (letter, fax, email)
- Using TU Dresden’s web-based BKMS® notification system.
We kindly request that you prioritize TU Dresden’s online BKMS® notification system for submitting anonymous reports. However, the other channels are still available for use.
If you would like to report concerns, you can submit documentation to the responsible contact or via the BKMS® notification system.
If you would like to submit an anonymous report, please take note of the following security information: Files can contain hidden personal data that could compromise your anonymity. Clean your files of this (meta) data before submitting them. You can find general information on removing hidden data from Microsoft Office or PDF files on the TU Dresden FAQ pages. If you are uncertain about removing or unable to remove this data, send a print copy of the document to the responsible contact.
Dealing with reports
All information from whistleblowing reports will be treated confidentially, unless otherwise agreed with the whistleblower.
Reports of misconduct or violations received are carefully examined by the responsible officers or persons in charge. Proven violations are consistently punished. The procedure shown in the following diagram is followed.
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TU Dresden whistleblowing system
TU Dresden's whistleblowing system enables members, associates and third parties to report suspected misconduct and violations of legal, academic or university rules without having to go through official channels or reveal their identity. The whistleblowing system not only meets the highest technical requirements in terms of personal protection, but also the legal framework conditions for reporting offices.
The whistleblowing system enables abuses to be identified, uncovered and rectified at an early stage. In this sense, responsible handling of information about suspected misconduct contributes significantly to the establishment of a culture of mutual respect and trust among members and affiliates of our university that is characterized by integrity.
Internal reporting office at the SMWK in accordance with HinSchG
An internal reporting office has been set up for the Saxon State Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism (SMWK) in accordance with the Whistleblower Protection Act (HinSchG), which is available to all employees of the SMWK and the two Divisions, including all members of TU Dresden. Reports of suspected violations that fall within the scope of the law in accordance with § 2 HinSchG can be submitted here.
The aim of the Whistleblower Protection Act is to make it easier for whistleblowers to draw attention to breaches of the law and regulations in companies and authorities without fear of reprisals. The information about violations must have been obtained in connection with professional activities and must be sufficiently certain to be true. The whistleblower is obliged to compensate for any damage resulting from the intentional or grossly negligent reporting or disclosure of incorrect information.
The SMWK and the Main Staff Council at the Saxon State Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism have concluded a service agreement
to implement the Whistleblower Protection Act with the aim of supporting the protection for whistleblowers provided for by law.
Whistleblowers have the option of contacting the whistleblower office electronically, in writing, verbally or in person. The following reporting channels are available:
- E-mail: Hinweisgeberstelle@SMWK.sachsen.de
- Telephone number: +49 351 564 63900
- Postal address: Whistleblower office at the SMWK | P.O. Box 10 09 20 | 01079 Dresden
- House address: Whistleblower Office at the SMWK | Wigardstraße 17 | 01097 Dresden
Communication with the internal reporting office should only take place via the expressly named communication channels to ensure that the information sent is received directly by the internal reporting office. The whistleblowing office is factually independent and organizationally separate from the rest of the SMWK's business operations. The confidentiality of the personal data affected by a report is an important concern of the Whistleblower Protection Act. The Whistleblowing Office attaches great importance to the confidential treatment of identity.
In addition, whistleblowers can also contact the Federal Government's external reporting office at the Federal Office of Justice www.bundesjustizamt.de/hinweisgeberstelle.