To ensure that the best applicant of all the candidates is appointed, it is important that you as reviewers are able to form an objective and independent opinion of the applicants. For this reason, TU Dortmund University has to assure that persons who have a (potential) conflict of interest are not allowed to participate in the appointment process. This results from Sections 20 and 21 Administrative Procedure Act NRW (Verwaltungsverfahrensgesetz für das Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, VwVfG NRW).
The appearance of a conflict of interest exists if there are objectively ascertainable reasons which can raise doubts about an impartial and unprejudiced decision (Section 21 VwVfG). Therefore it is irrelevant, if there actually is a conflict of interest or not.
For this reason, we would like to ask you to check first of all, whether a conflict of interest according to Section 20 VwVfG or one of the following constellations is given and then inform us:
- ongoing or recognizably planned close scientific cooperation,
- scientific competition with own projects and plans,
- institutional connections (e.g. affiliation to the same department or research institution, a visiting professorship at the same department),
- participation in mutual reviews (also in doctoral or postdoctoral lecture qualification phase),
- economic interests or economic interests of relatives,
- economic/work-related dependency or supervisory relationship (e.g. teacher-student-relationship including postdoctoral qualification phase),
- close personal ties or personal conflicts.
Please use the following form for reporting a potential bias: Declaration of (potential) conflict of interest / reviewers.
