Different perspectives are part of everyday academic life and can be enriching, especially in supervisory relationships or during periods of qualification — but they can also lead to conflicts. If these cannot be resolved independently, the university's conciliators offer confidential and low-threshold support: they listen, advise, help clarify issues, and mediate between the parties involved. This often allows a solution to be found before formal ombudsman proceedings are initiated.
Arbitration at Leipzig University
In everyday academic life, a wide variety of conflicts can arise, for example due to
- organizational difficulties or unclear agreements
- workload due to work or teaching commitments
- stressful supervision situations or power imbalances
- violations of supervision agreements.
The conciliators offer a low-threshold and confidential point of contact for early career researchers, postdocs, supervisors, and entire working groups:
- they listen and advise,
- help to clarify the situation,
- can mediate between the parties involved
- and support them in developing joint solutions.
The conciliators always work independently, confidentially, neutrally, and fairly.
The conciliators create a protected space and offer a low-threshold approach to addressing conflicts in everyday academic life at an early stage and dealing with them constructively. They follow these process steps:
- Initial contact
- If you need support in a conflict situation, you can:
- contact the conciliators directly by phone or email.
- Contact Maria Melms (Research Integrity Coordinator). She will provide organizational support and, if desired, put you in touch with the conciliators.
- Initial consultation/advice
- In an initial confidential meeting, you can describe the conflict. Together with the conciliator, you will discuss which steps are appropriate.
- Conflict resolution options: clarification of facts, help for self-help, conciliation
- The conciliator
- forms an independent picture of the situation,
- supports the parties involved in developing solutions on their own,
- mediates between the parties to the conflict upon request.
- When is the ombudsman procedure an option?
- An ombudsman procedure can be considered if a conciliation attempt fails and/or there is suspicion of scientific misconduct. This step is also taken exclusively with your consent and remains voluntary.
