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TUHH > TU Hamburg > Structure > Department 9: Legal and Academic Committees > RA - Stabsstelle Recht > Regulations & Guidelines

Basic Resolution

of the Hamburg University of Technology

of 27 October 2017

The University Council of the Hamburg University of Technology approved the Basic Regulation of the Hamburg University of Technology on 4 May 2018 in accordance with § 84 paragraph 1 number 3 HmbHG. It was passed by the Academic Senate of the Hamburg University of Technology on 26 October 2016, on 26 April 2017 and on 27 September 2017 on the basis of § 85 section 1 number 1 of the Hamburg Higher Education Act (HmbHG) of 18 July 2001 (HmbGVBl. p. 171), last amended on 29 May 2018 (HmbGVBl. p. 200).

Section 1

General provisions

§ 1

Legal status and tasks of

the Hamburg University of Technology

Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), an institution of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, is a public corporation having legal capacity and the right of self-administration.
The TUHH is responsible for the further development of science, in particular in the fields of technology and natural sciences, through research and the provision of scientific education. The aim of the education is to enable the independent application and development of scientific methods and knowledge. The TUHH trains the next generation of scientists.

Section 2

Members and affiliates of TUHH

§ 2

Members and affiliates

Members of the TUHH as a corporation are the full-time employees of the TUHH as well as the enrolled students including the doctoral candidates.
Affiliates of the TUHH:
1. Part-time employees of the TUHH, the professors within the meaning of § 17 section 1 HmbHG as well as private lecturers of the TUHH within the meaning of § 17 section 2 HmbHG,
2. Persons who have been awarded an honorary doctorate or honorary senator by the TUHH,
3. Professors of TUHH after retirement on reaching their pensionable age,
4. the lecturers,
5. the visiting scholars, insofar as they are not members according to paragraph 1.

The status of a member of the persons designated under sentence 2 nos. 2 and 3 shall expire upon relinquishment or loss of the designation or dignity conferred.

Members of other scientific universities may become members of the TUHH upon application. The Presidential Board shall decide on the application and inform the Academic Senate.

§ 3

Freedom of teaching and research

The TUHH, its members and affiliates are required to use and preserve the freedom in teaching, study and research guaranteed by Article 5, section 3 of the Basic Law in awareness of their responsibility before society on the basis of the constitutional order.

§ 4

Good scientific practice

The TUHH, its members and staff are obliged to ensure good scientific practice and to avoid scientific misconduct. Further details are regulated by the TUHH bylaws.

§ 5

Rights and duties of members and affiliates of the TUHH

Notwithstanding their other rights and duties arising from these Basic Regulations and further obligations arising from a service or employment relationship, the members and affiliates of the TUHH shall contribute in mutual cooperation to enable the TUHH and its bodies to fulfil the tasks they are responsible for. They shall behave in such a way that no one is prevented from exercising their rights and duties at TUHH.
Within the scope of the available resources, all members and affiliates have the right to use the facilities of the TUHH in accordance with the regulations for use.
Participation in self-administration is the right and duty of the members of the TUHH. The Academic Senate (cf. § 12) according to § 85 HmbHG is the organ of self-administration. The members of the TUHH participate actively and passively in the election to the Academic Senate in accordance with the election regulations. The assumption of offices in the self-administration can only be refused in particularly justified cases. Women shall be given appropriate consideration when nominations are made.
In justified cases, members of the TUHH and also persons who are neither members nor members of the TUHH may participate in the committees of the Academic Senate. The chairperson of the committee informs the President.
No one may be disadvantaged because of their activity in the Academic Senate. The members of the Academic Senate are not bound by instructions.

§ 6

Groups

For representation on the committees, one group each is formed for each:

1. professors and junior professors (group of university lecturers),

2. students,

3. research associates including the doctoral students (academic staff)

4. technical, library and administrative staff (TVP).

Section 3

Management of TUHH

§ 7

Presidential Board

The TUHH is led by a Presidential Board. It consists of the President, as a rule two Vice-Presidents and the Chancellor. The Presidential Board shall adopt its own rules of procedure.

§ 8

President

The President heads the Presidential Board. He or she represents the TUHH in and out of court. The president’s term of office is six years.

§ 9

Vice-Presidents

The Vice-Presidents shall perform their duties independently within the guidelines of the President and the decisions of the Presidential Board and shall represent the President in accordance with the rules of procedure adopted by the Presidential Board. The term of office of the Vice-Presidents shall be three years.

§ 10

Chancellor

The Chancellor manages the administration of the TUHH on his or her own responsibility within the guidelines of the President and ensures that the decisions of the Presidential Board to be implemented by the administration are observed. He or she implements the decisions of the Presidential Board on the management of funds according to § 100 section 1 HmbHG on his or her own responsibility. The Chancellor's term of office is nine years.

Section 4

University Council, Academic Senate

§ 11

University Council

The University Council performs its tasks in trusting cooperation with the other organs of the TUHH. It consists of five members who are determined and elected in accordance with § 84 sections 3 and 4 HmbHG. One member of the University Council appointed by the Academic Senate shall be a member of the TUHH.
Meetings of the University Council shall generally be held in camera. As a rule, the members of the Presidential Board shall be entitled and, at the request of the University Council, also obliged to attend the meetings. The University Council shall determine the details in its rules of procedure.

§ 12

Academic Senate

The University Senate pursuant to § 85 HmbHG bears the name "Academic Senate" at the TUHH. The Academic Senate performs the tasks of both the University Senate (§ 85 HmbHG) and the Faculty Council (§ 91 HmbHG). The Academic Senate of the TUHH consists of six members with voting rights from the group of university teachers, two members from the group of students, two members from the group of academic staff and one member from the group of TVP. The President is a further advisory member of the Academic Senate without voting rights and chairs it.
The voting members of the Academic Senate shall be elected by the members of the TUHH separately according to groups as specified in the election regulations.
The Academic Senate may appoint committees for individual tasks and delegate decision-making powers to them. Insofar as the Academic Senate does not adopt separate statutes or rules of procedure for these committees, the rules of procedure of the Academic Senate shall apply accordingly. As a rule, the Academic Senate shall form the following committees:

Dean of Studies Committees:

One committee each to perform the tasks regulated in § 15 section 2 (Dean of Studies Committee and Study Area Committee):

On behalf of the Academic Senate, the deaneries and study areas are responsible for proper teaching, for professional development in research and teaching, as well as for the distribution of resources allocated for these tasks.

Budget and Planning Committee:
The Budget and Planning Committee advises the Academic Senate on all matters concerning the budget and financial planning of the TUHH in accordance with the regulations of the HmbHG. In particular, it prepares statements for the Academic Senate on principles for the resources and the allocation of funds (cf. § 85 section 1 number 11 HmbHG) and on the preparation and execution of the business plans (cf. § 85 section 1 number 12 HmbHG).
Committee for Strategy Development in Studies and Teaching:
The Committee for Strategy Development in Studies and Teaching advises on fundamental issues and the development of university-wide strategies and concepts in the area of teaching, learning and continuing education.
Strategic Research Planning Committee:
The Strategic Research Planning Committee advises on the long-term further development of the research competence fields, the initiation of and participation in cross-university research initiatives and programmes, and on the establishment and dissolution of main research areas.
PhD Committee:
The PhD committee decides on admission to doctoral and post-doctoral studies. It ensures that the doctoral and habilitation procedures are conducted in an orderly and efficient manner. The PhD committee does not have a separate statute; details are regulated by the doctoral and habilitation regulations of the TUHH.
Committee for the award of the academic title of Professor and for the award of the authorisation to teach as an Associate Professor in accordance with § 17 HmbHG.
Library Committee:
The Library Committee represents the Academic Senate in matters concerning the University Library at TUHH, in particular the provision and supply of information to library users, and reports on developments in this area.
Information Technology Committee:
The Information Technology Committee makes recommendations and comments on the further development of IT strategy including the IT project portfolio of the TUHH and on the distribution of I&C funds.
Committee for Non-Technical Supplementary Modules:
The Committee for Non-Technical Supplementary Modules advises the Academic Senate on matters concerning the interdisciplinary non-technical supplementary modules at the TUHH and reports on developments in this area.
Committee for Equality:
The Committee for Equality advises the Academic Senate on all matters of principle and on guidelines for equality and draws up the equality plans.

Section 5

Organisational units below central level

§ 13

Organizational units

Below the central level, the TUHH is divided into institutes, working groups, deaneries as well as a study area and research areas. The Academic Senate decides on their establishment on the basis of the structure and development plan.

§ 14

Institutes/Working Groups

1. Institutes shall perform the core tasks of the TUHH in accordance with § 1 section 2 of this Basic Regulation. The tasks of the institutes thus include, in particular, research and teaching, gaining scientific knowledge, participation in the implementation of this knowledge in practice and training of young academics.
2. Institutes shall be assigned to the deaneries of studies (§ 15) and shall be given a head.
3. Institutes shall have personnel and material resources at their disposal for the purposes of research and teaching; funds promised to university teachers in connection with appointment and remaining employment negotiations shall be available without restriction for the fulfilment of the institute's tasks.
4. Institutes with reduced resources are called working groups. Paragraphs 1 to 3 shall apply accordingly to working groups.

§ 15

Study Deaneries and Study Areas

1. The TUHH is subdivided into study deaneries and study areas, the tasks of which are performed by study deanery committees and study area committees, respectively, in accordance with § 12 section 3.

2. The Dean of Studies Committees or Study Area Committees

advise the Academic Senate and the Presidential Board on all fundamental matters of teaching and study,
decide on the enactment, amendment and revocation of all subject-specific examination regulations and their annexes to the study programs of the Dean of Studies or Study Area. When making decisions, the general provisions on study structure and examination procedure of the ASPO, i.e. the framework examination regulations of the TUHH, are to be observed,
distribute budget funds and resources to the institutes and working groups,
participate in appointment, habilitation and doctoral procedures.

3. The TUHH shall regulate the details by statute.

§ 16

Main research areas

1. Research areas serve to promote research, especially interdisciplinary research; they are to be oriented towards longer-term research projects. They are initially established for a period of four years. An extension will be decided after evaluation.

2. A research focus has several members who come from the group of university teachers. They ensure that their members, their scientific facilities and their operating units can fulfil the tasks they are responsible for. To this end, they use, among other things, large-scale scientific equipment, the application and operation of which is one of their tasks. They can apply to the Presidential Board for further resources to pursue their research goals.

3. The research areas are involved in appointment, habilitation and doctoral procedures.

4. The members of the research area propose a spokesperson from among their number to the Academic Senate for election. The spokesperson of the research focus is responsible for the content-related and organisational work and invites the members of the research focus to regular meetings.

5. The TUHH shall regulate the details by statute..

Section 6

Other organizational units

§ 17

Communication and information conferences

1. Each status group may hold a communication and information conference with the Presidential Board as necessary. Similarly, the Presidential Board may arrange communication and information conferences.

2. Together with the Presidential Board, the conference discusses current issues, developments, strategies or conflicts at TUHH as the occasion arises.

3. The Presidential Board reports to the Academic Senate on the convening and discussion results of the communication and information conferences.

§ 18

Council of Elders

1. The Council of Elders consists of six professorial members, whereby all study deaneries should be represented by one member. The chair of the Council of Elders is elected by the group of university professors of the TUHH. The other members of the Council of Elders are elected by the Academic Senate for a term of two years.

2. The Council of Elders attempts to settle cases of conflict and can be commissioned by the Academic Senate or the Presidential Board to clarify particular issues.

§ 19

Representatives

The Academic Senate elects the Equal Opportunities Commissioner of the TUHH and his or her deputy as well as the Representative for the Concerns of Disabled Students and his or her deputy in accordance with § 87 and § 88 HmbHG. The Academic Senate shall ensure a new or re-election in good time before the expiry of the terms of office.

§ 20

Ombudsman Ombudswoman

Notwithstanding the responsibilities of the appeal committees, an ombudswoman or ombudsman, together with a member of the TUHH student body, performs the task of a complaints office in examination matters. The ombudswoman or ombudsman is the spokesperson of the study deaneries and heads of study areas. The member of the student body is appointed for one year at a time by the General Student Committee of the TUHH student body.

Section 7

Procedural principles

§ 21

Elections, terms of office and matters

directly affecting research and teaching

The members of the Academic Senate shall be elected in accordance with the TUHH election regulations by the respective member groups in free, equal, secret and, as a rule, direct elections. Postal voting shall be made possible. Re-election is permissible.
The term of office of the members of the Academic Senate is two years, that of the students one year. The members shall continue in office until their successors take office.

Section 8

Final provisions

§ 22

Announcements

Statutes shall be published on a designated page of the TUHH on the internet. They shall be deemed to have been published in the legal sense from the day after this publication, unless publication in the Official Journal of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg or in another medium is mandatory. The announcement of other resolutions of the Academic Senate which are not subject to confidentiality shall be made on the TUHH intranet. The same shall apply to resolutions of the Presidential Board and other bodies, insofar as these resolutions concern decisions which may be of general importance for the university and its members or its affiliates and which are not confidential; the body adopting the respective resolution shall decide on the disclosure at its due discretion. The right of all TUHH bodies to post information relating to their respective areas of responsibility on the internet or on the TUHH intranet while safeguarding the objectives of the TUHH and observing all legal and procedural requirements to be complied with shall remain unaffected.

§ 23

Entry into force

These Basic Regulations shall enter into force on the day following their publication in the Official Journal.
When these basic regulations come into force, the basic regulations of the Hamburg-Harburg University of Technology of 26 July 2006 shall cease to apply.

Hamburg, 21 June 2018

Hamburg University of Technology

Hamburg, March 22, 2023

Hamburg University of Technology

This version of the doctoral regulations of the Hamburg University of Technology is not legally binding. Only the German version is legally binding.