Preamble
Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences (UPWr) is a public university whose community is guided by fundamental ethical values. These values are reflected in all University's activities, both in relation to the entire academic environment and to each employee, undergraduate and doctoral student. The basic ethical values of the UPWr community are based on the fundamental ethical principles of:
truth - being the highest value of the academic ethos,
responsibility - conscientious performance of one’s official duties,
justice - constituting proper relations between employees, doctoral students and undergraduates,
dignity - respect for the rights of employees, doctoral students and undergraduates,
tolerance - respect for different views, attitudes, ethnicity, cultural and religious identity.
Chapter I.
General rules
§ 1
The UPWr Employee Code of Ethics, hereinafter referred to as the Code, sets out the ethical values and the resulting rules of conduct for the employees of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences. The Code also defines the procedure for appointing and dismissing as well as the competences of the Ethics Committee for the UPWr employees.
§ 2
Whenever the Code refers to an employee of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, it should be understood as referring to an academic teacher, administrative employee, engineering and technical employee or a service employee working at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences under an employment contract or appointment. The Code applies also to persons performing tasks under the contract of mandate.
§ 3
Whenever the Code mentions the academic, it should be understood as a person referred to in Article 108 of the Act of 27 July 2005 - Law on Higher Education (Dz.U. [Journal of Laws] from 2012, item 572, as amended), employed at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences on the basis of an appointment or contract. The Code applies also to academics who carry out tasks under the contract of mandate.
Chapter II
General rules
§ 4
The employee of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences shall take care of the UPWr image and carries out its mission.
§ 5
The employee of UPWr shall promote ethical values and strengthen the ties of the UPWr academic community.
§ 6
The employee of UPWr shall demonstrate loyalty to the University manifested in observing employee discipline, supporting democratically elected authorities and helping to build the University's prestige.
§ 7
The employee of UPWr who holds managerial functions at the University should set an example for other employees, undergraduates and doctoral students.
§ 8
The employee of UPWr shall be kind, tactful and polite towards other members of the academic community, haave high standards of self-conduct, care for good interpersonal relations at work, and prevent conflicts in his or her environment.
§ 9
The employee of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences shall take care of the public property and funds at his disposal and shall not use these funds for private purposes.
§ 10
An academic employed at another university or college shall not promote that university or college at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences.
Chapter III
The academic as a researcher and teacher
§ 11
The academic shall ensure that the results of his or her scientific research serve the society, shall adhere to high research standards and principles of good scientific practice.
§ 12
The academic shall observe the principles of scientific integrity in scientific research and shall not allow any violation of other people's intellectual property, falsification of scientific research results, unreliability in disseminating these results or in applying for research funds or conducting and reviewing scientific research.
§ 13
The academic shall inspire and develop creativity of his or her colleagues, undergraduates and doctoral students, promote their scientific achievements, support them with one’s own knowledge and scientific supervision, and adhere to the principles of establishing co-authorship of publications.
§ 14
- The academic shall avoid any conflict of interest in the assessment of persons and institutions and in the evaluation of projects, applications and works intended for publication, as well as in relation to his or her own scientific work.
- The academic shall ensure his or her colleagues fair co-authorship of scientific works, patents, posters and other studies based on actual creative contributions. Any co-authorship in the abovementioned studies without any actual contribution to their creation is considered to be highly reprehensible and unethical.
- In the event of circumstances indicating a conflict of interest, an academic shall be obliged to present the matter to his superiors and to refrain from conflict-generating activities.
§ 15
The academic shall disseminate in the society reliable information about the achievements in the field of science he or she represents.
§ 16
The academic shall not sacrifice the principles of scientific honesty and integrity to achieve his or her own goals and benefits in public life.
§ 17
The academic of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences shall agree to issue an expert opinion, review or evaluation only within the scope of his or her area of expertise and shall base this opinion, review or evaluation on scientific findings and on full recognition of relevant facts and circumstances, regardless of any client's influence on the substantive content of the said opinion, review or evaluation.
Chapter IV
Academic as a teacher and educator
§ 18
The academic shall combine his or her scientific work with didactics, shall care for innovativeness in his or her teaching methods and clear knowledge transfer as well as for active and creative participation of undergraduates and doctoral students in classes, shall develop their independent thinking, and, if possible, shall take into account their influence on the curriculum.
§ 19
In his or her didactic practice the academic shall communicate the current state of knowledge in a given field, informing about contributions of specific scientists or research teams to scientific developments and presenting the needs, perspectives and challenges within the subject taught.
§ 20
The academic during the course of teaching shall not undermine the authority of other academics.
§ 21
The academic shall treat undergraduates and doctoral students with kindness, dignity and tact, avoid inappropriate words or behaviour, shall be impartial, fair and not guided by emotions.
§ 22
The academic, before the beginning of a teaching cycle, shall provide undergraduates and doctoral students with information about the curriculum, about their rights and obligations associated with participation in classes, about the conditions and dates related to grading or exams, as well as about the criteria for assessing participants of his or her classes.
§ 23
The academic, while respecting the differences in the personality of undergraduates and doctoral students, shall adopt fair and equal principles of assessment regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, worldview, political orientation, material position or a position in social or professional life.
§ 24
The academic shall assess undergraduates and doctoral students in an open manner, enabling them to become acquainted with the justification for their grade.
§ 25
The academic should not impose on undergraduates or doctoral students obligations that are not necessary in the teaching process and do not result from course regulations.
§ 26
During the teaching process, the academic shall fight the symptoms of intellectual dishonesty among undergraduates and doctoral students, including appropriation of the results of someone else's work.
§ 27
The academic shall teach undergraduates and doctoral students the culture of scientific discussion and formulation of criticism in accordance with the principles of decency and respect for the opponent.
§ 28
The academic shall react to situations of reprehensible behaviour among students and undergraduates.
§ 29
The academic shall recognize the inalienable right of students and doctoral students to evaluate his or her didactic work and teaching attitude.
§ 30
In the event of a conflict with undergraduates or doctoral students, the academic shall avoid the role of a judge in his or her own case by entrusting the settlement of the dispute to the university bodies established for that purpose.
§ 31
The academic, when inviting undergraduates or doctoral students to participate in scientific research, shall highlight this participation in the documentation of research results and publications, and shall respect their right to have a share in any possible fees an remuneration.
Chapter V
Ethics Committee for the employees of the
University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wrocław
§ 32
The Ethics Committee for the employees of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, hereinafter referred to as the Committee, is the Rector's consultative body on matters specified by the Code.
§ 33
The Committee, including the chairman of the Committee and his or her deputy, is appointed by the Rector and consists of persons with the title of professor employed at the University in the position of a full professor.
§ 34
The Committee consists of 5 members.
§ 35
The Committee is appointed for a 4-year term which commences together with the term newly elected University authorities.
§ 36
The Committee’s competences include:
- initiating discovery process regarding any violation of ethical conduct rules by an employee of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences;
- undertaking actions aimed at amicable settlement of conflicts resulting from a violation of ethical conduct principles by an employee of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences;
- performing other activities related to the ethical conduct of an UPWr employee transferred to the Committee by the Rector of UPWr.
§ 37
The Committee shall exercise its powers in accordance with the provisions of the Act of 27 July 2005 - Law on Higher Education ( Dz.U. [Journal of Laws] from 2012, item 572, as amended) and the Statute of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, initiating discovery process at the Rector's request, or on the basis of a submission addressed directly to the Committee by an employee of UPWr or a submission by another person concerned directed to the Committee through the Rector of UPWr.
§ 38
The Committee shall inform the Rector of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences about the activities undertaken and their results; it shall also notify the Rector about any evasion on the part of an UPWr employee from participating in the discovery process – in such a situation an appropriate decision shall be taken by the Rector.
Chapter VI
Final provisions
§ 39
In situations not determined by the provisions of the Code, an employee of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences should act in accordance with the provisions of the Act referred to in § 3, the Statute of UPWr, resolutions and ordinances of its authorities, superiors' orders and universally recognized traditions and good academic practices.
§ 40
The first term of office of the Committee begins on the day of its appointment and lasts until August 31, 2016.
§ 41
The Code shall be implemented and amended by a resolution of the Senate of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences.
