Overview of Personal Responsibility and Liability
The following content aims to raise awareness among university members and affiliates who operate internationally for teaching or research purposes, ensuring they act responsibly, highlighting what they should pay attention to, and how the university supports them in doing so.
Researchers bear a special responsibility for the lawful and secure conduct of international collaborations. Violations of relevant regulations (e.g., export control or sanctions law, data protection law, Nagoya compliance, etc.) may result in individual-specific consequences, including disciplinary, administrative, or criminal liability. The University of Göttingen, as a foundation university, and its departments provide support through consultation and procedural guidance. However, researchers remain primarily responsible for ensuring compliance on a case-by-case basis.
Certain goods, software, and technologies—and their provision or transfer (including digital dissemination)—may be subject to export control or sanctions restrictions and may require authorization. This particularly applies to items listed under dual-use categories or subject to sanctions-related prohibitions on provision. Whether and what measures are required (e.g., access restrictions, authorization, coordination with BAFA, etc.) must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Violations of relevant regulations (e.g. export control/sanctions law, data protection law, Nagoya compliance, etc.), can lead to consequences relating to service-/employment law, administrative offense law, and criminal law, depending on the individual case. The University of Göttingen and its faculties provide support through consultation and procedures. However, it remains the responsibility of the individual researchers to ensure compliance with the requirements on a case-by-case basis.
Since violations can result in severe penalties, we recommend that all researchers at the university observe university procedures and processes and involve the responsible administrative department at an early stage. We also recommend reading the export control regulations (only available in German), the EU sanctions list and, if applicable, the Nagoya protocol (which is an additional protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity).
The German Research Association (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) also stresses personal accountability. For example, a joint scientific commission appointed by the DFG and Leopoldina has published recommendations for research security in international cooperation, because "in almost all scientific disciplines, research findings that offer significant opportunities also have the potential to be misused". In line with the DFG's Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice, the recommendations emphasise "the ethical responsibility of individual researchers who can and must use their knowledge and experience to make personal decisions about justifiable courses of conduct, and their limits".
The University has established binding guidelines for a harassment- and discrimination-free teaching, learning, research and working culture with a “Guideline on the Prevention of and Protection against Sexualised Harassment and Violence at the Georg-August University Göttingen including the University Medical Center Göttingen” and a guideline for the prevention of and protection against discrimination of the Georg-August-University Göttingen (available in German only). University staff and guests face sanctions in case of discrimination and disadvantagement of international students and/or colleagues as well as in case of sexual harassment and violence. In its diversity agenda “Shaping Change through Diversity and Inclusion”, the DAAD pledges to support HIgher Education Institutions as plaes of non-discrimination.
University members and staff who collaborate internationally for teaching or research purposes must comply with ethical principles , regulations relating to good research practice and applicable laws of the partner country.
The University's Duty of Care as an Employer - applicable within the scope of a work-related activity abroad for all individuals who are in an employment, training or civil service relationship with the University of Göttingen (e.g. social insurance, accident insurance, travel medical advice, emergency management) - can be viewed here (available in German only).
University members and staff in leadership positions have additional responsibilities:
- Provide guidance and tailored technical support to your employees and students on data and digital security to prevent data theft and surveillance risks.
- Establish an emergency procedure to deal with cases of endangerment, detention or disappearance abroad.
- Create awareness among your students and staff about how repressive environments can affect academic freedom.