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Technical University of Munich

Guidelines for student theses and internships in collaboration with external partners Chair of Terrestrial Ecology, TUM School of Life Sciences

Preamble

We welcome collaborations with industry partners, public authorities, NGOs and other organisations that provide a practical context for student research projects. However, the Chair will only provide academic supervision for such projects in accordance with the following guidelines:

1. Scientific standards

All projects must comply with the standards of good scientific practice and meet the academic quality requirements for theses or research placements.

2. Research character

The project must address a genuine research question that goes beyond the individual situation of the partner organisation:

  • Scientific novelty: Is new knowledge being generated?
  • Generalizability: What general insights can be derived?
  • Position within the academic literature: What knowledge gap is being closed?
  • Theoretical framework: How does the work fit into existing research?

Purely commissioned work, surveys without an academic research question, or applied problem-solving without a research character cannot be supervised.

3. Hypothesis-driven approach

We expect clearly formulated, testable hypotheses based on theoretical considerations or previous empirical findings. The work must make a distinct contribution to answering a scientific question.

4. Methodological quality

Field methods, laboratory procedures and statistical analyses must comply with established scientific standards:

  • Use of published, validated methods or
  • Explicit comparison of new methods with established procedures
  • Transparent, reproducible data collection and analysis
  • Appropriate statistical methods with sufficient power

5. Experimental design

The study design must ensure sufficient replication and appropriate controls to enable scientifically robust conclusions.

6. Data management and ownership

Existing data from the cooperation partner: The partner’s respective regulations regarding access and use apply.

Data collected during the project:

  • Remain with TUM and are archived there
  • Are made available in accordance with FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable)
  • Must be fully accessible for scientific publications
  • May be used by the Chair for further research purposes

7. Publication and openness of results

  • Scientific responsibility and supervision lie exclusively with the Chair
  • The results must be worthy of publication and have the potential for a scientific publication
  • Freedom of publication is guaranteed: Results will be published regardless of whether they meet the expectations or interests of the cooperation partner
  • We aim for Open Access publications and open data publication
  • Short-term publication delays (e.g. up to 6 months) may be agreed in justified cases

8. Contractual agreements

Cooperation agreements must not restrict the principles outlined above. Agreements that restrict scientific integrity, freedom of publication or data availability are not acceptable.

Contact for enquiries:

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang W. Weisser

Chair of Terrestrial Ecology

As of: February 2025

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