Leibniz-Zentrum Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft Leibniz-Gemeinschaft

Guidelines for good scientific practice and equal opportunities at the ZAS

1. Good scientific practice

The freedom of research guaranteed in the constitution is inextricably linked to a correspondingly high level of responsibility. Scientific integrity is an expression of researchers’ awareness of this responsibility and forms the basis for trustworthy research. Scientific integrity and good research practice are genuine examples of scientific self-organisation and place an obligation on every researcher, and on all institutions where research is conducted. They are also an essential condition for both knowledge-oriented and public welfare-oriented science and research.

The Leibniz-Centre General Linguistics (ZAS) published the „ZAS-Kodex gute wissenschaftliche Praxis" in German in spring 2022. The English version „ZAS Code for good research practice", available in the download section, is provided for information purposes only. With this Kodex, ZAS commits itself to the "Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice (Code of Conduct)" of the German Research Foundation (DFG), presented in 2019, as a binding basis for all issues relating to good scientific practice at central association level and at the level of the Leibniz institutions. It thus follows the "Leibniz Code for Good Research Practice". This document is supplemented by the "Guidelines for Good Scientific Practice in the Leibniz Association" in its current version.

In cases of conflict regarding good scientific practice and questions about suspected scientific misconduct, employees can turn to the ombudsperson of the ZAS. The ombudsperson, who is elected by employees examines disputes and allegations of scientific misconduct on the basis of an internal guideline. If the institute ombudsperson decides that the accusations require further investigation, the case is passed to the central ombudsperson of the Leibniz Association.

2. Equal Opportunities and Diversity

The ZAS understands the realization of gender equality as a central guiding principle of its organizational and personnel development as well as a task of the institute's management. It supports the Leibniz Association's goals of equal opportunities and diversity and resolutely opposes discrimination and disadvantage, for example, on the basis of ethnicity, gender, religion and ideology, disability, age and sexual identity in accordance with the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG). For the ZAS as an institution of the Leibniz Association, the Equality Standards of the Leibniz Association as well as the implementation agreement on equality (Ausführungsvereinbarung zum GWK-Abkommen über die Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern bei der gemeinsamen Forschungsförderung, AVGlei) apply. The ZAS actively strives for the equality of women and men according to Art. 3 para. 2 of the German Basic Law (GG) and the Berlin State Equality Act (LGG). This includes the reduction of existing disadvantages and the continuous improvement of the compatibility of work, private life and family for employees in the scientific as well as in the science-supporting area and at all career levels. The implementation of the guiding principle of equal opportunities and diversity includes a gender- and diversity-sensitive work and organizational culture of the institute and respectful treatment in everyday work and communication.

The ZAS Equal Opportunities Commissioner develops ideas in line with international conventions on equal opportunities in order to implement the goals of equal opportunities with the employees at the ZAS - new measures and regulations are to be discussed and initiated together. In addition, the Equal Opportunities Commissioner advises in cases of discrimination and - if desired - intervenes mediatively in conflicts.

Workandfamily (berufundfamilie) certificate

In 2022, the ZAS was awarded the audit workandfamily (berufundfamilie) certificate for the first time for the strategic design of its family- and life-phase-conscious personnel policy. The certificate, which is considered a seal of quality for a company's compatibility policy, is awarded by the curatorium of the berufundfamilie Service GmbH. The prerequisite for certification is successful completion of the accompanying auditing process, in which the status quo of the family- and life-phase-conscious measures already offered was determined and the institute's potential was systematically developed. 

As part of the auditing process, not only were strategic goals defined, but also concrete measures, which are recorded in a target agreement. These must now be implemented appropriately during the three-year certificate period. Practical implementation is reviewed annually by the berufundfamilie Service GmbH.