The Coordination Office for Research Integrity (KoWI) is a permanent institution of the university that bundles ombuds expertise, supports and interconnects different ombudspersons at the university. One of the goals is to bring more transparency to the processes of good scientific practice at Freie Universität.

Professor Dr. Joachim Heberle is an expert on good scientific practice at Freie Universität. Since 2014, he has been a member of the national committee "German Research Ombudsman" appointed by the German Research Foundation (DFG). This committee assists all scientists and researchers in Germany and is independent of the DFG in its decisions. At the same time, Joachim Heberle was available to the Physics Department as an advisor on issues of good scientific practice, which he will continue to do in his new role. In May 2021, he was also elected to the Austrian Agency for Research Integrity.

Joachim Heberle will pursue his task as central ombudsperson alongside his professorship. In his new role, he will not only moderate, inspire, and pass on valuable practical experience. He also wants to bring about some structural changes and anchor new processes at Freie Universität.

The new Coordination Office for Research Integrity will also offer counselling in the context of academic integrity, which will educate decentral ombudspersons on how to deal with critical situations in the daily scientific routine.

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