Ombudsperson for Doctoral Students

Ombudsperson – general information

In March 2011, the office of ombudsperson was created to support doctoral students and supervisors at the University of Heidelberg. The two ombudsmen appointed to the office will act as confidential and impartial advisors and mediators to whom doctoral students and their supervisors can turn in cases of conflict surrounding their doctoral projects.

Current office of ombudsperson

The office of ombudsperson is currently held by two professors:

Consultation process

Contact information

Questions or problems can be submitted initially

• by email
• or by post.

The ombudsperson will then contact the applicant in order to clarify the problem and determine which offices or authorities could contribute to finding a solution. In some cases, a simple advising session may be sufficient to resolve the problem. In other cases, the ombudsperson will, with the permission of the applicant, arrange a mediation session with the other parties involved. The ombudsperson has the authority to make recommendations regarding further action. The implementation of the recommendations, however, is up to the parties involved.
 

Services

The services of the office of ombudsperson

• are free of charge
• cannot be contested in a court of law
• or referred to another authority.

The responsibilities of the following institutions remain unaffected:

• jurisdictions of the doctoral committees or
• the committee for the ensurance of good academic practice.

 
Legal statutes

• Statute of the office of ombudsperson 
  developed by the Graduate Academy Board of Trustees and approved by the Senate of Heidelberg University.

• Appointment by senate vote on September 14, 2010, initially for 2 years. Ombudsmen to take up office in March 2011.