Organizational Culture
At Barkhausen Institut, we foster a culture of good scientific practice, structured research data management, and sustainable action. Equal opportunities, social justice, and the balance between professional, family, and personal life are central guiding principles for us.
Guidelines for ensuring good scientific practice
Good scientific practice includes a set of ethical and methodological guidelines and standards that form the basis for respectful interaction in the scientific world. It requires behaving honestly with regard to one's own and others' contributions, critically questioning one's own and others' results, and seeking and promoting discourse with the scientific community. It thus ensures the credibility not only of individual researchers, but also the trust of the public and the broader scientific community in the integrity of scientific research.
In implementing good scientific practice, the Barkhausen Institut follows the recommendations of the German Research Foundation (DFG) and its code of conduct "Guidelines for Ensuring Good Scientific Practice" (Code, DFG 2019). As an affiliated institute of the Dresden University of Technology (TUD), it adopts its implementation of guidelines 1-17 of the DFG Code of Conduct within TUD's framework "Statutes for Ensuring Good Scientific Practice, Avoiding Scientific Misconduct, and Handling Violations" (Statutes, TUD 2022). In addition, the Barkhausen Institute has adopted its own rules of procedure in cases of suspected scientific misconduct, which take into account the DFG's Code Guidelines 18 and 19. (Rules of Procedure, BI 2021)
The ombudsperson of the TUD is available to the staff of the Barkhausen Institut as a contact person for all suspected cases of academic misconduct. As an independent and neutral point of contact, the ombudsperson accepts enquiries while maintaining confidentiality.
Prof. Dr. Alexander Kemnitz
+49 351 463-37548
ombudsperson@tu-dresden.de
Research Data Management
The Barkhausen Institut attaches great importance to structured and secure data management. Practices follow the guidelines of the DFG and are based on subject-related recommendations. Research data is stored centrally on BI servers and kept in a protected archive for at least ten years after project completion. Clear guidelines, templates, and regular meetings ensure appropriate data quality and standardized documentation. This ensures good scientific practice and responsible handling of research data.
Sustainability
Trustworthiness in a Connected World also means taking responsibility for the future. As a research institute in the fields of electrical engineering and computer science, we regard sustainability as an integral part of our activities – in our research, our daily work, and the design of our infrastructure. Our goal is to embed sustainability in our institutional culture and, through our work, contribute to a future-oriented and responsible digital society.
Culture as the Foundation of Sustainable Development: We see culture as the key to sustainable development and as the foundation of the three pillars of sustainability. Only through openness, dialogue, and the courage to continuously evolve can ecological, social, and economic sustainability thrive. This mindset shapes both our research and our day-to-day collaboration.
Ecological Sustainability: We are committed to the responsible use of resources and energy. Through continuous awareness-raising and the ongoing development of our internal processes, we aim to further reduce our environmental footprint.
Social Sustainability: Our employees are at the heart of our institute. We foster an open, respectful, and family-friendly working environment in which diversity, equal opportunities, and collaboration are actively practiced. Continuing education, personal development, and a healthy work–life balance are central elements of our human resources policy.
Economic Sustainability: As a publicly funded research institution, we manage the resources entrusted to us in an economical, efficient, and transparent manner. The long-term and stable allocation of funds enables us to pursue our research objectives responsibly and to align innovation with a long-term perspective.
Sustainability Management
An internal Sustainability Working Group, composed of employees from various departments, actively advances these topics. Following the Sustainability Guidelines (LeNa), the group focuses on the fields of action in research, buildings and infrastructure, personnel, and supporting processes, identifies potential for improvement, and develops measures to further integrate sustainability into everyday institutional practice.
For us, sustainability is not a fixed state but an ongoing process of development. We see it as a shared responsibility and a continuous commitment to shaping our scientific work responsibly in the interest of future generations.
Sustainability Officer:
Jenny Baumhoer
Email: jenny.baumhoer@barkhauseninstitut.org
Equal Opportunities
At the Barkhausen Institut, gender equality constitutes a vital aspect of the institute’s culture. Particular attention is paid to equal opportunities in recruitment and promotion of young scientists. The BI Gender Equality Plan, which was published for the first time in 2022, encompasses three sustainable and goal-oriented strategies, which form the basis of an action plan to increase gender equality:
- Retaining the female scientists at BI;
- Recruiting more women;
- Increasing the pool of women in engineering science.
At the same time, the BI Gender Equality Plan serves as a tool to monitor ourselves.
Reconciliation of work, family and private life
At the Barkhausen Institut, the reconciliation of work, family and private life is a key element of the organizational culture. The institute creates conditions that allow employees to balance their professional goals with their personal needs. Flexible working hours, remote work, and family-conscious scheduling help employees realize their full potential while fostering long-term motivation and job satisfaction. This family-friendly personnel policy is certified through the berufundfamilie audit.
More information: Work-Life-Balance at Barkhausen Institut