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The scandal of publications and Finanztricksereien invented by scientists of the Sonderforschungsbereich (SFB) 552, University of Göttingen device now President Kurt von Figura pressure: Internal documents, the blogs are available, lay the suspicion that the university administration for a long time about the illegal dealing of their tropical scientists with research grants, was informed.
DPA
Academe: Academic leadership under pressure
At a meeting of the head of the finance department with a CRC staff member was in November 2007, according to a memo discussed that the Uni-President will "no longer let irregularities" will. At the same time but was "willing to finance department, the CRC word and deed to stand, even what 'creative resources' concerns, because the tax is interested, no money to the DFG need to give back."
As a result of the meeting were not corrected false postings, but "internal (!) Rebooking lists" were introduced. With them were personnel and acquisition of other university institutes inconspicuously by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) SFB untergeschoben be funded.
Academe dismisses Allegations
From meeting minutes show that such tricks at the expense of the DFG by the General Board of the CRC have been approved. In this body is from the Göttingen university leadership, the Head of Department for Strategic Research.
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On Monday the DFG responded blogs on the report and announced to verify that the Bureau of Academe in the year 2007 from the "illegal dealings of its tropical scientists with research grants," has known.
The Bureau of the University, the allegations in an opinion back from Saturday. The university had "in September 2007 having regard to possible problems with financial management in one part of the project SFBs at a participating university received" - ie not in his own house. The university has led to this investigation by a reputable auditing firm had minor objections, which the DFG had been.
Which university is concerned, the Bureau gave the Göttinger unknown. A great mystery, it is not: The University of Kassel Department was using its "Organic Agricultural Sciences and Center for Environmental Systems Research at Göttingen until 2008 research program involved.
President obviously cared for the Excellence Initiative
A spokeswoman for the University of Kassel, blogs ONLINE confirmed that the Figura Kasseler university says in its opinion. It is, however, "problems in low volume": to "a billing problem," which is a sum of "under 1000 euro" was gone. On the other hand, these were "not complete its proper receipts for travel and foreign services on the spot in Indonesia with a combined volume of just under 10,000 euros."
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Uni-President Figura: About Financial Tricks informed?
For this outcome was a "major public accounting firm" has. She was from the Universities of Göttingen and Kassel instructed, after "internal to the possible problems were discussed," the university spokeswoman Kasseler to blogs ONLINE. The procedure for the missing documents had not yet completed, the audit report of the DFG and the Academe been sent. According to the Kasseler University Chancellor Robert Kuhn are "typical management issues which are relatively common in DFG projects occur."
The Bureau of the University of Göttingen is also expressed on the blogs of note cited, Figura would "no longer let irregularities". The accusations were based on quotes that are "out of context and thus sinnentstellt" are. In response to a blog-ONLINE inquiry Figura keeps itself against the impression "that I or the University any irregularities could go through. The false impression is characterized by a reckless wording emerged that an employee of the CRC in a note about a conversation has made it to the finance department staff led. "
The opinion of the Bureau, however, raises new questions: The finance department, said the university on Monday, then have indicated that "on the DFG, the BMBF will examine more closely how money accounts, especially in regard to spending funds in connection with the conveyor line 3, "said the note from November 2007.
Surplus at Kassensturz
The conveyor line 3 says the state university of excellence - and the president seems Figura is ensured to have. The Excellence Initiative is a funding program of the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), which is 75 percent federally funded. The review will, inter alia, by the DFG implemented. Since October 2007, under the Excellence Initiative is a graduate program, an Excellence Cluster and the future concept of the University of Göttingen encouraged.
Figura emphasized in its opinion, the central government had at no time "tricks at the expense of the DFG" approved. Why, however, in November 2007, shortly after the university to "elite university" was crowned, it was clear words why so explicitly before stricter controls DFG warned, remains unclear. The University said this vague: After an employee was changing the "new employee of the Finance Department on issues relating to the DFG-compliant financial management can enlighten" and this in a note held so Figuras concise answer to a blogs ONLINE request.
A week ago, the University of Göttingen
massively in the criticisms. The blog reported that DFG deliberately misused funds were: In September 2007, the university Kassensturz before and noted that 150,000 euros were left to the DFG would have returned them. According to information blogs were simply several employees from other fields in the salary list of the special research range.
In addition, 16 scientists of the Sonderforschungsbereich "stability of tropical rain forest fringes in Indonesia" in an application for funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG) false statements made about publications Publications and partly invented.
Promote research in the tropics is running out soon
To avoid scandal, the university withdrew the request for 8.6 million euro research funding and also waived the usual outlet financing. The promotion will be on 30 June 2009 question.
Whether the affair criminal consequences, is open. The prosecutor Göttingen examine whether an initial suspicion of infidelity exists. Whether an investigation is initiated, had not yet been decided, said a spokesman on Monday. The University will request written documentation were not yet available.
DPA
Göttinger cheering "elite" students (in October 2007): first place in the Excellence Initiative
The University itself has initiated an investigation, the DFG also has affected by the 16 scientists called opinions. "Duration and outcome of the DFG process are at this moment not yet in sight," said DFG Secretary Dorothee Dwzonnek last week. If the suspicion confirmed, would be recovered due. The amount Dwzonnek wanted no details.
Figura had also acknowledged that in another graduate program on biodiversity a similar suspicion "existed. On an application for renewal of this college should be enstschieden on Friday. After blogs information but the decision was postponed to November.
Forschungsgemeinschaft examine practice in grant applications
In response to the allegations against the University of Kassel, renowned scientists had compared ONLINE blogs criticized the fact that universities now to cover the basic third-party financing are dependent on - and so the
Release pressure on the scientists climb. Moreover, in the applications demand specific keywords and the result should ideally be already determined. Also this year the winner of the Leibniz Prize had
significant criticism of the practice review of the DFG said.
"The DFG is examining whether and how their policies on literature data in grant applications must be reviewed," said DFG Secretary Dorothee Dzwonnek blogs ONLINE on Monday. The question should be pursued in the relevant bodies will be discussed. On Wednesday will be the scientific committee of the Lower Saxony parliament on Wednesday in a special session dealing with the affair. Uni-President Kurt von Figura has been invited to this meeting to give information.
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