Dorothea Schlözer Scholarship Holders: Requirements and Information Georg‐August‐Universität Göttingen The Georg‐August University Göttingen, Foundation under Public Law, has awarded a Dorothea Schlözer scholarship to you for your proposed doctoral or research activities. Acceptance of the scholarship means that you undertake to observe certain requirements. This leaflet is designed to draw your attention to your rights and duties as a scholarship holder and to provide some further information and advice to facilitate successful progress towards your goal. Table of Contents Observing the rules of good scientific practice ....................................................................................... 2 Matriculation ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Smart card/student identity card ............................................................................................................ 2 Contact persons for Dorothea Schlözer scholarship holders .................................................................. 2 Scholarship guidelines ............................................................................................................................. 3 Placing work focus fully on the proposed planned doctoral / research activities .................................. 3 Additional income ................................................................................................................................... 3 Labour and collective bargaining law for scholarship holders ................................................................ 4 (Social) insurances and taxes .................................................................................................................. 4 Participation in training schemes ............................................................................................................ 5 Duty to report .......................................................................................................................................... 5 Points to note on publication of research findings ................................................................................. 6 Applying for extension ............................................................................................................................ 7 Travel expenses ....................................................................................................................................... 7 Regulations on limitation of term according to the Academic Fixed‐Term Contract Law (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz) .......................................................................................................... 8 Breaking‐off of the scholarship ............................................................................................................... 8 Dorothea Schlözer‐Alumnae ................................................................................................................... 9 Requirements and information for Dorothea Schlözer scholarship holders; Status: August 2013 1 Observing the rules of good scientific practice As a scholarship holder, please familiarize yourself with • the rules of good scientific practice, • scientific misconduct, and • the procedure followed in the case of suspicion of scientific misconduct as set out in the Guidelines of the Georg‐August‐Universität Göttingen to Ensure Good Scientific Practice: http://www.uni‐goettingen.de/en/12523.html Matriculation Doctoral students are required to be matriculated at the Georg‐August‐Universität. Please contact the Office of Student Affairs at Wilhelmsplatz 4. The following website provides information on the documents necessary for matriculation: http://www.uni‐goettingen.de/en/51293.html Dorothea Schlözer scholarship holders are exempted from paying the administration fee (a part of the semester fee amounting to approx. 75€), as their scholarship for doctoral studies is financed out of public funds (pursuant to § 12 para. 1 s. 2 no. 4 NHG): http://www.uni‐goettingen.de/en/32172.html Smart card/student identity card As a scholarship holder, you do not obtain a university identity card as you do not have employment or service‐provider status at the university. If you are receiving a doctoral scholarship, you are required to matriculate at the university and thereby receive a student identity card automatically. This card enables you, for example, to eat at the university canteens at student rates and to use the services of the university library (SUB). If you are a research scholarship holder, your competent superior must apply for a smart card for you (cost: 10 Euro payable by the institution applying). This card likewise entitles the holder to use the SUB and to eat at the canteens, in this case at employee rates. Please contact: Frau Backhaus, Central Administration, Card Office, Käte‐Hamburger‐Weg 1, Tel. 39‐
12475 Contact persons for Dorothea Schlözer scholarship holders A number of contact persons at the University of Göttingen are available for Dorothea Schlözer scholarship holders. For the administration and financial handling of the scholarships – notice of granting, notification of changes to personal und financial circumstances e.g. change of income situation, change of family status, birth of children, change of address – the Research Department is the office responsible. Con‐
tact: Herr Wojas, Von‐Siebold‐Str. 4, Tel. 39‐33802, E‐Mail: hans‐georg.wojas@zvw.uni‐goettingen.de For supervision and advice with respect to the Dorothea Schlözer Programme – applications for ad‐
mission, training programme, applications for extension, interim and final reports – the Equal Oppor‐
Requirements and information for Dorothea Schlözer scholarship holders; Status: August 2013 2 tunities Office is responsible. Contact: Frau Gülcher, Dorothea Schlözer Programme Directorate, Goßlerstr. 9, Tel. 39‐33959, e‐Mail: nina.guelcher@zvw.uni‐goettingen.de For research‐related and academic consultation please approach your doctoral or research project supervisor. She or he, as your mentor, will assist you in all matters concerned with career develop‐
ment and help you with gaining access to (international) scientific or scholarly networks, meetings, publications and recommendations. Further boards/institutions providing scientific and scholarly support (subject dependent) are the Thesis Committee, the Doctoral Study Programmes and the Graduate Schools. At the latter (e.g. the GSGG), the terms of supervision are laid down in binding terms by a doctoral agreement. Scholarship guidelines In accepting a Dorothea Schlözer scholarship you undertake to recognise and fulfill the “Guidelines on the granting of scholarships at the University of Göttingen (not including the University Medical School)”. Please read through these guidelines thoroughly upon taking up your scholarship. (Official communication of the Georg‐August‐Universität Göttingen dated 28.07.2010/No. 16, p. 1099‐1107, http://www.uni‐goettingen.de/en/122528.html ). Among other things, these scholarship guidelines regulate - the application procedure and granting of scholarships - the amount and payment of the scholarship (e.g. regulations for part‐time arrangements, additional income thresholds) - the duration of support, scholarship extension and child allowances - your duties as a scholarship holder - publications and related rights - and much more besides. Placing work focus fully on the proposed planned doctoral / research activities In accepting the Dorothea Schlözer scholarship you are undertaking to apply your efforts in full to carrying out your proposed doctoral / research activities. Additional income According to the “Guidelines on the granting of scholarships at the University of Göttingen (not in‐
cluding the University Medical School)” (Official communication of the Georg‐August‐Universität Göttingen dated 28.07.2010/No. 16, p. 1099‐1107, http://www.uni‐goettingen.de/en/122528.html ) you can earn, additionally to your scholarship, up to 6,000 euros per year of scholarship funding through conducting academic work. The Research Department does not need to be informed with respect to amounts below this threshold. Should the additional earnings exceed this, the scholarship amount will be affected. Performing work for the university – as a research assistant or temporary lecturer – is permissible; the additional income threshold must be taken into account. Requirements and information for Dorothea Schlözer scholarship holders; Status: August 2013 3 Labour and collective bargaining law for scholarship holders First and foremost, it should be noted that a scholarship takes the form of financial support and does not constitute an employee or service relationship with the university. This entails both advantages and disadvantages. Rights and duties in the sense of labour law are not created on the basis of a scholarship. It remains the case that you are not obliged to make social insurance contributions and hence you do not accumulate pension points. A scholarship is a distinction. It sets you apart from other academics and can hence be highly benefi‐
cial in your further career. Entering into a working contract after completion of the scholarship duration Allocation to a TV‐L salary bracket is carried out on the basis of the employee’s relevant professional experience (no working experience: Level 1; at least one year of working experience: Level 2; at least 3 years: Level 3) However, for such working experience to be relevant it must have been gathered in the status of an employee and cannot be accumulated during a period on a scholarship, for example. Information on classification and remuneration in the event of entering into a working contract can be found on the web‐page of the staff administration and development department: http://www.uni‐
goettingen.de/de/abteilung‐personal/105170.html (Social) insurances and taxes Scholarships do not constitute an employment relationship and are tax‐free according to § 3, 44 In‐
come Tax Act in the respectively valid version, as they are not remuneration in the sense of § 14 SGB IV in the valid version in each case. Scholarship holders do not pay social security contributions. As a scholarship holder you are not covered by health insurance. You are obliged to take out health insurance policy. The Sachkostenpauschale (lump sum for expenses) granted does not form part of the scholarship and should not, therefore, be taken into account by the health insurance company when the premium is calculated. It is not usual for the health insurance company to offer the re‐
duced student rate as you already have a professional qualification and income. We recommend that you negotiate your rate personally with your insurance company. In the event of an accident occurring in an organisational context connected with the university, stu‐
dents are in principle insured via the “Landesunfallkassen". Doctoral students and scholarship hol‐
ders also count as students. In order to find out under what circumstances this insurance cover applies to you, please consult the leaflet “Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherungsschutz rund um die Uni‐
versität“ issued by the Gemeinde‐Unfallversicherungsverband Hannover Landesunfallkasse Nieder‐
sachsen: http://www.guvh.de/versicherte/kinder‐schueler‐studierende/Hochschule_Versicherungsschutz.php Besides the mandatory health insurance, we recommend that you also take out private third‐party liability insurance (office key, equipment, etc.) and accident insurance (also for abroad). Requirements and information for Dorothea Schlözer scholarship holders; Status: August 2013 4 The Income Tax Act deems the standard scholarship to be tax‐free income. Scholarship holders are self‐employed in the sense of § 18 Income Tax Act. Whether you are required to declare your addi‐
tional income as a self‐employed person to the tax authorities or whether submitting an income tax declaration at the end of the year including income from fees / tutoring etc. is sufficient, depends on the nature of the work concerned. We recommend that you inquire at the relevant tax authorities office directly. Information on financial matters, health insurance and tax issues, also for scholarship holders, can be found on the following website: http://doktorandenforum.de/finanzen/index.htm Participation in training schemes As a Dorothea Schlözer Programme scholarship holder, you are required to participate in training measures. Courses facilitating the acquisition of key academic qualifications are designed to advance your career in research and academia. For doctoral students, the Equal Opportunities Office in cooperation with the Graduate Schools of‐
fers workshops in academic skills via the qualification portal for doctoral students: http://www.uni‐
goettingen.de/en/126654.html For postdocs, a one‐year qualification programme incorporates training and coaching in key aca‐
demic skills and delivers practical knowledge on career‐relevant topics and opportunities for net‐
working. The total time involved amounts to approximately 6 days; costs incurred for materials and refreshments amount to ca. 130 Euros. Application is necessary for admission to this programme. The call for applications takes place in December of each year and applications must have been re‐
ceived by the end of January. Please see: http://www.uni‐goettingen.de/en/113209.html Duty to report As a scholarship holder you are required to report at certain points on the progress of your work. This requirement applies to both interim and final reporting. The reports are to be submitted to the Programme Directorate at the Equal Opportunities Office without request at the appointed times, in English or German, in both paper from and electronically. Interim report Your interim report on the status of your work is to be submitted unprompted one year after your funding has begun. It should be a maximum of 5 DIN A4 pages in length and contain the following details: 1. General information - Applicant, contact details - Faculty/Institute/Chair - Project topic - Reporting period, funding period - List of publications in the context of this project - Information concerning participation in training schemes Requirements and information for Dorothea Schlözer scholarship holders; Status: August 2013 5 Information concerning contributions to meetings, congresses, colloquia etc. How are you being supported in your work? E.g. through the Faculty (working place, working material), cooperation partners in Germany and abroad, project staff, etc. 2. Work report - Short account of the status of the work with reference to the original working and time schedule (work conducted so far, any deviations from the initial planning, research setbacks, problems with project organisation or technical realisation) - Short description of interim results. Final report Four months at the latest after the scholarship funding has ended the final report is to be submitted without request: Here you report on the status of your research work, the results achieved and your further career planning (max. 8 DIN A4 pages). The final report must be supplemented by a statement from your supervisor commenting on the final report. Content: 1. General information - Applicant, contact details - Faculty/Institute/Chair - Project topic - Reporting period, funding period - List of publications from this project (please append offprints) - Information relating to participation in training schemes - Information relating to contributions to meetings, congresses, colloquia etc. - Who contributed to the results of the project? (Support from the Faculty [working place, working material], cooperation partners in Germany and abroad, project staff, etc.) 2. Work report - Research topic - Description of the work conducted including deviations from the original planning, any re‐
search setbacks/failures, problems with the project organisation or technical realisation, ‘surprises’ in the course of the project - Presentation of the results obtained and discussion with respect to the relevant state of re‐
search, possible perspectives for application and conceivable follow‐up investigations 3. Summary of the project findings expressed in generally understandable terms - for posting on the website, max. 2500 characters 4. Indication of the significance of the scholarship and outline of your future academic and profes‐
sional planning 5. Statement from your supervisor commenting on the final report 6. Specimen copy of the publication -
Points to note on publication of research findings Göttingen University expects that the research outcomes that have been supported with funds from the university are published without delay, if possible also in digital form, and made available for free online access (Open Access). It is expected that reference to the financial support of the project Requirements and information for Dorothea Schlözer scholarship holders; Status: August 2013 6 through the Dorothea Schlözer Programme of the Georg‐August‐Universität Göttingen is made in the publication. Possible alternative wordings read as follows: 1. Das Vorhaben wurde (teilweise) durch ein Stipendium im Rahmen des Dorothea Schlözer‐
Programms der Universität Göttingen gefördert. The project received funding from the Dorothea Schlözer Programme of Georg‐August University Göttingen. 2. Die Veröffentlichung wurde durch das Dorothea Schlözer‐Programm der Georg‐August‐
Universität Göttingen gefördert. The paper was funded by the Dorothea Schlözer Programme of Georg‐August‐University Göttin‐
gen. A specimen copy of the publication is to be appended to the final report. Applying for extension Extension of the scholarship is possible for a period of up to one year. In addition, there is the possi‐
bility of gaining an extension of up to 12 months if there are children under 12 years of age living in the same household. In order for any extension to be considered, an application must be submitted by 31 May of the year in which the funding expires. The application for extension is to be submitted to the directorate of the Equal Opportunities Office in German or English. Please add a cover letter telling how long the needed extension is and on what legal grounds you apply (§ 5 Abs. 1 or Abs. 2 of the “Guidelines on the granting of scholarships at the University of Göttingen (not including the University Medical School)” (Official communication of the Georg‐August‐Universität Göttingen dated 28.07.2010/No. 16, p. 1099‐1107, http://www.uni‐goettingen.de/en/122528.html). The Dorothea Schlözer Pro‐
gramme selection committee decides on the granting of an extension. Notification will be given by 15 August of the year concerned. The application for extension must include the following information and should be based on the guide for the final report in terms of content and length: 1. General information 2. Work report 3. Grounds of the extension (Why was it not possible to keep the original work schedule?) 4. Schedule for conclusion of the work 5. Statement from the supervisor commenting on the extension application Travel expenses Among other things, the material and travel allowance is intended to cover costs for travel, atten‐
dance at meetings etc. Other institutions also offer support for travel, e.g. the DAAD (congress and lecture travel programme), the faculties, the graduate schools and the Universitätsbund Göttingen. Requirements and information for Dorothea Schlözer scholarship holders; Status: August 2013 7 Regulations on limitation of term according to the Academic Fixed‐Term Contract Law (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz) The Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz (WissZeitVG, the Law on Academic Fixed‐Term Contracts) es‐
sentially governs the limitation of employment contracts for scientific and artistic staff at institutions of higher education (§ 2, 3). Regulations governing how qualification phases are taken into account Limited contracts for scientific and artistic staff prior to obtaining their doctorate can have a total duration of 6 years. Following conferral of the doctorate, further limited contracts can likewise have a total duration of 6 years (postdoc phase). The maximum post‐doctoral contract duration is in‐
creased by the time not used during the doctoral phase. For calculating the time credited from the doctoral phase, the existence (or not) of an employer‐employee relationship (working contract) is not relevant, i.e. your time as a scholarship holder is also taken into account. Phases of doctoral studies abroad are also taken into account. Example for doctoral phase: Start of doctoral studies 01.01.2008 Doctoral scholarship 01.07.2009 ‐ 30.06.2010 Employment as research assistant 01.07.2010 ‐ 31.12.2011 Conferral of doctorate 30.11.2011 Time taken in doctoral phase: 3 years and 11 months The time available for the postdoc phase is increased by the time not used during the doctoral phase, thus in this example by 2 years and 1 month (6 + 6 ‐ 3 years and 11 months). Example for postdoc phase: Total duration available for limited term contracts 8 years (incl. time credited from doctoral phase) Less qualification phase on a working contract 2 years Habilitation scholarship 1 year not taken into account Less qualification phase on a working contract 1 year Remaining period available 5 years In the postdoc phase time with a scholarship is not taken into account; here only the periods in a working (employer‐employee) relationship are relevant. There are possibilities for extension of limited contract duration e.g. when caring for children (two years per child). Breaking‐off of the scholarship In case you want to break‐off of your scholarship before the end of the granted funding period, please provide written notice to the Programme Directorate (Equal Opportunities Office) and the Research Department. Please ensure to provide information on the date on which you want the scholarship to end. Requirements and information for Dorothea Schlözer scholarship holders; Status: August 2013 8 Dorothea Schlözer‐Alumnae With the Dorothea Schlözer‐Programme, that was started 2009, the University of Göttingen aims to increase the proportion of women at all academic stages of qualification. This is why we are interest‐
ed to hear how your career after scholarship develops. We would like to conduct regular short sur‐
veys and ask you some short questions about your current professional activities. We hope, that these information will also help us to evaluate and improve the programme. We would therefore like to ask you to keep us informed about your current e‐mail address. Contact: Frau Gülcher, Goßlerstr. 9, Tel. 39‐33959, E‐Mail: nina.guelcher@zvw.uni‐goettingen.de Requirements and information for Dorothea Schlözer scholarship holders; Status: August 2013 9