Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - English

Good reasons for your participation

Dear scientist,

Are you still wondering whether you would like to take part in our survey? We say: Yes, take part in our survey!

We are not only interested in the mean values, but also in the diversity in science. It is therefore important that as many institutions and departments as possible are adequately represented. The diversity in science, the different research contexts and the associated research practices are often underestimated, if not completely ignored, in science policy and university management. We want to make this visible and also give a "voice" to those scientists who are not always represented in science policy discussions. Only if as many researchers as possible participate in our study and represent their disciplines will we be able to make this diversity of research contexts adequately visible in the evaluations!

This in turn benefits your own research field. Our aim is to collect comprehensive information on the research cultures of the individual research fields. We would like to find out from you what research quality means in your research field and what research practices are used to ensure it. We would also like to identify areas of tension between research imperatives and conflicts with research practices or research quality. We believe that political control of science can only succeed by including the scientists’ perspectives - and only if the divergences between the different research fields are considered.

Take the opportunity to represent your research field and contribute your personal research experience to its further development.

The Berlin Science Survey is part of Objective 3 of the Berlin University Alliance and is conducted at the Robert K. Merton Center of the Humboldt University of Berlin. As the BSS acts as accompanying research for the BUA measures, it is designed as a longer-term survey. The baseline survey started in 2021 and the 2nd wave has been in the field since January 2024. Further surveys will follow at 2-year intervals. You can be part of the ongoing study and contribute your personal experience to the BUA's continuous measures. Only active participation in our study allows us to identify trends and developments in the changing research practices of the various research cultures and to map any potential conflicts that may arise as a result. Science research, universities and politics will benefit from these findings - and not least you as a scientist.

Even if you have taken a supposedly unusual path during your academic career, your participation is very important, because we can only paint a complete picture of the research area through the broadest possible participation. This also applies if you have only come to Berlin for a short time or would like to leave Berlin again soon.

By the way: If you subscribe to our newsletter, we will keep you up to date on the latest study results!

Your Berlin Science Survey team