Scientific Integrity

Last updated: January 2026

This document is a translation of the German version and is not legally binding. Legal reference documents mentioned here are available only in German.

Academic integrity and good scientific practice is a constant process of exchange, agreement and learning among all members  of a university. Rules and guidelines on academic integrity apply on multiple levels: there are local guidelines for an institution, national, EU-wide and global frameworks. The structures and procedures regarding scientific integrity at the University of Arts Linz are intended to support academic integrity as a lived practice. The goal is to provide information, create awareness on the topic, give guidance and counseling in cases of suspected misconduct and support researchers and students in their practice. Researchers, teachers and students shall be encouraged and motivated towards following good academic practice and keeping high-quality standards regarding their work.

Overall, individual responsibility and prevention of misconduct is intended rather than policing unwanted behaviour. Especially in the arts, lots of differing practices and paradigms have to be considered. The University of Arts Linz respects the diversity of attitudes, practices and needs of their researchers, teaching faculty, and students. The structures, rules and guidelines regarding academic integrity and good academic practice at the University of Arts Linz aim to create a clear framework to safeguard everyone’s individual rights and freedom, while being commited to highest quality in the arts and research.

The University of Arts Linz is a member organization of the Austrian Agency for Scientific Integrity (ÖAWI). As such, the university is bound to the ÖAWI’s guidelines for scientific integrity. Those guidelines contain general principles and instructions for researchers, students and teachers at institutions of higher education.

The University of Arts Linz has set up a contact point for academic integrity and good scientific practice. All members of the university can contact the university’s representative for academic integrity (contact info: see on the right) regarding information, questions or suspected cases of academic misconduct.

The ÖAWI’s guidelines are to be found in the section “Info & Links”. Special information regarding the use of AI in the context of study, research and teaching is to be found under “AI & Integrity”. Information and guidelines regarding plagiarism and its prevention at the University of Arts Linz are placed in the section “Plagiarism”.

What is academic misconduct?

Research culture is based on mutual agreements, ethical principles, and community-based commitment towards keeping good standards of practice. This is commonly called academic integrity. General principles of academic integrity are trustworthiness, rigor, transparency, and respect towards others involved in the research process. Besides those general principles, there are lots of more specific sets of rules and Do’s/Dont’s for each research field. Examples of severe misconduct against academic integrity are:

a) Invention of research results or research data

b) Falsification of research results or research data

c) Plagiarism and auto-plagiarism

d) Sabotage against the work of others

What happens when misconduct is uncovered?

In cases of suspected academic misconduct, the contact point for academic integrity must be informed. The university’s representative for academic integrity helps with information and factchecking. If a severe case of misconduct is confirmed, the university’s rectorate is taking action, proposing sanctions. Those can include the withdrawal of an already submitted thesis or the withdrawal of an already awarded academic degree. Details regarding this procedure are declared in the university’s statutes (only in German): Satzungsteil zu den studienrechtlichen Bestimmungen an der Kunstuniversität Linz