The DZHW Scientist Survey is conceptualized as a long-term, continuous mood barometer of the academic world. It is a fundamental tool designed to gain insight into the working conditions at German universities as well as opinions on the state and long-term developments of the German science system.

The DZWH Scientists Survey is a trend survey launched in 2009 by the former Institute for Research Information and Quality Assurance (iFQ). Its goal is to regularly and steadily collect and provide high-quality data.

The study is conducted by the German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW). The German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW GmbH) carries out application-oriented empirical research in the field of higher education and the science system. It sees itself as a partner and service-provider for the world of science and scientific policy. Its research is theory-based and practice-related. The DZHW contributes its research findings to academic discourse; it is part of the scientific community. The data and analyses produced by the DZHW also support policy-makers, higher education institutions and educational management in shaping higher education in Germany and Europe. It provides important information for comprehensive, sustainable, evidence-based higher educational and educational policy.

All DZHW-members are thoroughly briefed and obligated to our standards of data protection. In our project we also attach great importance to data protection. To learn more, click here. Or contact us directly here.

The DZHW Scientists Survey is an online survey among scientists at universities and research institutions in Germany. The sample design corresponds to a two-stage random sample: The first stage consists of a proportional stratified cluster-sample of universities in Germany. The stratification criterions are the size of the institution (number of professors) as well as the type of institution. For every selected institution all email addresses as well as academic positions are collected manually over publicly accessible webpages. At the second sampling stage, disproportionate stratified random sampling was used to select researchers of each cluster.

We can assure you that we will not use your email address for any purpose aside from the study and will neither forward it to third parties nor otherwise make it available to third parties. Your participation is entirely voluntary. Opting out of the survey will not result in any disadvantage for you. It is understood that we will observe all legal requirements for data protection. Your email address will not be merged with your statements from the questionnaire. All responses will be exclusively utilized in anonymized form and for research purposes.

Results from the study will be published as research articles in scientific journals. There will also be a DZHW-Brief accessible for the public at large.
Interested parties (especially from research and science policy) will be granted access to the data for not-for-profit purposes via the Research Data Centre of the DZHW (FDZ).

Please contact one of our project members directly if you have questions or suggestions concerning the project and/or your participation.