"Spotlight on…" Ombudspersons for Good Research Practice

André Bank has been working at GIGA since 2010. He is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Middle East Studies (IMES), researching authoritarian politics and conflict dynamics. Since early 2021, he has been serving as the Ombudsperson for Good Research Practice, having recently started his second and last term.

David Kuehn joined GIGA as a Senior Research Fellow, in 2018. He works at the Institute for Asian Studies (IAS), but most of his research is inter-regionally comparative, focusing on autocratization, democratization, and civil–military relations, and social science methods. In addition to serving as André’s deputy as Ombudsperson, he coordinates the GIGA Forum series.

Let us learn more about their roles and perspectives in the following interview!

What made you decide to run as Ombudsperson? André: For me, doing political science research is an inherently social process, involving various people both in the countries that I am studying and in Germany, including at the GIGA. In this sense, regularly reflecting on what “good research practice” is and how principles of fairness and inclusivity can be implemented and “lived” is important. This, I guess, is the background why I decided to run as Ombudsperson.

David: There were three main reasons. First, this is an important position that needed to be filled, and at the time no other candidate had come forward. Second, I very much enjoy working with André and felt we would make a strong team. Third, and perhaps most importantly, I see the role as both meaningful and rewarding: it gives me the chance to actively contribute to a positive and productive work environment here at the GIGA

What are the main principles of good research practice? David: Traditionally, good research practice (GRP) was thought of rather narrowly, focusing mainly on avoiding plagiarism, fabricating data, and other serious forms of misconduct. While obviously egregious and harmful, not committing these “cardinal sins” is only the baseline. Today, there is a much broader consensus that GRP also means fostering fair collaboration, being attentive to potential power imbalances and hierarchies among colleagues (for example between doctoral researchers and supervisors), ensuring transparency and reproducibility of research, and handling data responsibly. In short: GRP is as much about creating a culture of integrity and mutual respect in the research process as it is about avoiding wrongdoing.

How would you describe your main tasks and responsibilities as Ombudspersons for Good Research Practice?

André: We see three overarching tasks and responsibilities as GIGA Ombudspersons: First, we aim to make GIGA colleagues aware of the principles of good research practice as they are laid out in detail in our GIGA Code for Good Research Practice from 2022. Second, we provide advice to GIGA colleagues on questions around challenges to (co-)authorship, (self-)plagiarism, the (joint) compilation, usage or analysis of research data or the abuse of power in the research process. In possible cases of misconduct against good research practice, we attempt to contribute to solution-oriented conflict mediation. This is done in full confidentiality, trustworthiness and collegiality. Third, we liaise with other Ombudspersons, exchanging experiences and best practices, for example within the Leibniz Gemeinschaft or with OWID, the Ombuds Committee for Research Integrity in Germany.

What are particular challenges with regards to good research practice?

André: In my view, the hyper-competitive academic system with its “publish or perish” expectation is one structural challenge for the day-to-day implementation of good research practice. Sometimes when attempting to quickly submit the next paper, a fair inclusion of all research participants – and double-checking of ethical pitfalls – in a study might for instance be lacking. One crucial question is thus: How can we strike the right balance between high quality scholarly output and fair, inclusive research practices?

What do you hope to achieve during your term as Ombudsperson?

David: I know I also speak for André when I say that our main goal is to be the go-to persons for anyone at GIGA who has questions or concerns about the principles and practices of good research. We know that reaching out to someone you may not know very well takes courage and trust, especially when it touches on the core tenets of academic integrity. We are not judges; our role is to open channels of communication and ensure that all sides are heard in a fair and constructive process. Ultimately, we want to be fair, open, and reliable stewards of the trust that colleagues place in us—and to contribute to a culture in which good research practice is lived as a shared responsibility.