Conflict Support and Mental Health

A career in science can be rewarding, but it can also test emotional and psychological limits. Moreover, a safe and fair working environment is not only a basic right, but also an essential condition for doing our best work. The resources below offer valuable support regarding good scientific practice and conflict resolution, mental health, and boundary violations or discrimination in the workplace.

Good Scientific Practice and conflict resolution

In order to strengthen research integrity and ensure adherence to standards, all Berlin universities as well as the non-university research institutions have installed ombudspersons for questions and conflicts related to good scientific practice. Ombudspersons can also be contacted with questions, e.g., regarding conflicts of authorship, supervision conflicts, or power abuse.

Office for Research Integrity at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin 

Departmental Ombudspersons at the Freie Universität Berlin 

Commission for the Review of Allegations of Scientific Misconduct at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin 

Investigation Committee for Scientific Misconduct at the Technische Universität 

Good Scientific Practice and Ombudspersons at the Max Delbrück Center 

Ombudsperson at the Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP) 

Mental Health

Mental health has become an important topic not only for students and PhD candidates, but also for more advanced researchers. Various options for advice and support are available at the Berlin universities and others institutions:

Mental wellbeing project at the Freie Universität Berlin

Psychological counselling service at the Freie Universität zu Berlin

Psychological counselling fur students at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Medicoach for medical students

Psychological counselling for staff at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin ] is offered through the Arbeitsmedizinische Zentrum (AMZ).

Psychotherapeutic Counselling of the studierendenwerk

The Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin also gives a good overview on mental health resources, e.g., preventive measures and self-help resources.

Boundary violations or discrimination

In cases of conflict related to, e.g., boundary violations (including sexual harassment and other forms of power abuse) or discrimination, the Berlin universities and non-university research institutions also have equal opportunity officers who can be consulted. All cases are treated confidentially.

Women and Equal Opportunities Officers at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin 

The Women and Equal Opportunities Officers at the Charité also offer resources related to prevention and protection against boundary violations (including sexual harassment and discrimination, violence, bullying, and stalking) on the intranet (German only) and internet.

Chief Gender Equality Officer at the Freie Universität Berlin 

Central Women’s Representative at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin 

Main Women and Gender Equality Officer at the Technische Universität Berlin 

Gender Equality Officer at the Max Delbrück Center 

Equal Opportunity Officer at the Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP)

Other resources

Brochure: Boundary Crossing,   Boundary Violation, Setting Boundaries (English)

Brochure: Border Crossing / Border Violations / Delimitations (German)

General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG) (English)

General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) (German)