Our Guidelines for Good Scientific Practice

For the Fraunhofer‑Gesellschaft, as an organization dedicated to applied research, honesty and quality in scientific work form the foundation of its identity. These principles are anchored in the Fraunhofer Code of Conduct and guided by the recommendations issued by the Commission on “Self‑Regulation in Science” of the member institutions of the German Research Foundation (DFG). Together, these guidelines safeguard the quality of our research while ensuring transparency and reliability for our project partners in industry, government, and academia.

The general principles of scientific work are:

• Independence and intellectual integrity — We develop new ideas based on the current state of knowledge and acknowledge the intellectual contributions of others through correct and traceable scientific citations.
• Methodological quality assurance — Research and development activities follow recognized scientific standards, with documented methods and transparent quality processes.
• Independence and objectivity — We maintain critical distance from our own results and examine them systematically to avoid bias.
• Reproducibility and documentation — All relevant information is archived in a way that ensures scientific findings remain verifiable and traceable.

The ombudsperson for good scientific practice at Fraunhofer FHR serves as a confidential point of contact in the following situations:

• Clarification of questions regarding scientific practice — Support in resolving conflicts or uncertainties within the scientific work environment.
• Reports of scientific misconduct — Confidential consultation in cases of suspected or confirmed violations of the rules of good scientific practice.

The ombudsperson acts neutrally, protects the confidentiality of all inquiries, and contributes to safeguarding the institute’s scientific integrity in the long term.