As of: February 10, 2024, 8:54 p.m
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View of a building at the Christian Albrechts University.
© Carsten Rehder/dpa
Kiel University President Fulda throws in the towel in the face of allegations of scientific misconduct.
She is retiring from the top post.
Kiel - The President of the Christian Albrechts University of Kiel (CAU), Simone Fulda, is stepping down from her position.
The professor announced this in a statement from the CAU on Saturday.
“I am taking this step out of responsibility for the university and with a heavy heart,” said Fulda.
The background is allegations of scientific misconduct, which the medical professor firmly rejected.
A few days ago, the “Kieler Nachrichten” first reported on a corresponding article in the English-language internet blog “For Better Science”.
Schleswig-Holstein's Science Minister Karin Prien (CDU) expressed great respect for the decision.
Fulda has been at the helm of Kiel University since October 2020.
“In our discussions, she assured me that an audit by the DFG (German Research Foundation) would clear her of all allegations of scientific or ethical misconduct,” said Prien.
“Nevertheless, she recognizes the current debate as damaging not only to her personally, but also to the entire university location.”
The allegations in the air have overshadowed the CAU's efforts at excellence for months.
“The CAU must now calm down in the coming weeks and concentrate entirely on remaining successful with the two existing clusters of excellence.” The university recently failed with further applications for excellence.
Prien emphasized: “Prof. Fulda has worked with great commitment at the CAU in recent years and has rendered outstanding services to her university.”
The Chancellor of the CAU, Claudia Ricarda Meyer, expressed extreme regret about Fulda's withdrawal.
“We pay her the greatest respect for this decision and thank her very much for her extraordinary commitment over the past few years.” With regard to the allegations of alleged data manipulation that are currently being made against Simone Fulda and scientists from other research institutions, the presumption of innocence still applies, emphasized Meyer.
These allegations are currently being carefully examined by the responsible institutions in accordance with guidelines of good scientific practice.
An interim executive committee should manage the business of the CAU until the presidential office is filled again.
According to the information, the committee includes Vice President Catherine Cleophas, the Chancellor and Vice Presidents Markus Hundt, Eckhard Quandt and Ralph Schneider.
A focus of the interim executive board's work will be the preparation of follow-up applications for the existing clusters of excellence.
dpa