20. April 2026 | Magazine:

Code of Conduct: A Guide to Our Interactions TU Braunschweig's new “Code of Conduct” establishes seven principles for fostering a respectful, fair and responsible university environment

The TU Braunschweig “Code of Conduct” in print. Photo credit: Kristina Rottig/TU Braunschweig

A university thrives on dedicated members, bold ideas, innovative research, and enriching collaborations. It also thrives on how people interact with one another: in seminar rooms, in laboratories, in administrative offices, in the cafeteria, in emails, meetings, and discussions, and in collaboration with its partners. Every day, in many small moments, it becomes clear whether the university is a place where its members enjoy learning, teaching, researching, and working.

TU Braunschweig currently has nearly 20,000 members. Here, people with different perspectives, concerns, and backgrounds come together. This makes a shared understanding of what constitutes good cooperation all the more important.

Collaboration depends not only on opportunities, but also on trust. The Code of Conduct (CoC) is a compass for good collaboration and has long been more than just an internal document. It is an increasingly required prerequisite for cooperation with partners from academia, business and society. With the Ecoversity Initiative, TU Braunschweig will work even more closely and effectively with its partners in the ecosystem, so now was the right time to establish this framework.

Specifically, the CoC sets out seven guiding principles that apply to all members of TU Braunschweig: students, staff, faculty, and leadership, as well as their cooperation partners.

The seven core principles are:

  • respectful and non-discriminatory communication,
  • diversity and equal opportunity,
  • a culture of responsible leadership,
  • fair working and study conditions,
  • research integrity and ethics,
  • transparency in external collaborations,
  • sustainability and resilience.

Origins and Significance of the Code of Conduct

The need for and desire to establish a Code of Conduct (CoC) had existed for many years. In 2024, President Angela Ittel provided the impetus to put this initiative into action. Over the next two years, a Senate working group comprising approximately 12 members from research, administration, and student affairs developed the CoC. On December 10, 2025, the Senate of TU Braunschweig unanimously adopted it.

“A Code of Conduct is more than just an internal document. It demonstrates how we want to work together. This is relevant and timely, as it also creates a reliable foundation for external collaborations in science and industry.” – Prof. Sabrina Zellmer, Professor of Battery and Fuel Cell Process Engineering and member of the CoC working group

“The Code of Conduct only works if we truly live by it in our daily lives. It not only shows what we stand for as a university, but also provides us with a shared framework for how we interact with one another”—Marianne Putzker, Staff Council member and working group member of the CoC

“I thank everyone involved who has advanced this process. These guidelines send a strong signal. Democracy in academia thrives on how we treat one another, how respectful we are, and to what extent we view diversity as an asset.” – Prof. Angela Ittel, President of TU Braunschweig

Actively raising awareness of the CoC

Please help us to raise awareness of the CoC at TU Braunschweig and to strengthen positive collaboration. One way to do this is by displaying the posters we have sent out in your workspaces. This will help to keep the seven core principles visible and present in your daily work environment.

If you need materials or have questions about the CoC, please feel free to contact Anouk Almstedt.