What are our
academic values?
During a meeting with our colleagues from European Institutes for Advanced Studies (NetIAS), we realized – besides the fact that every IAS is special and individual and has a distinct focus – that we all miss a clear formulation of our academic values – overarching principles, ethical values – according to which we conduct our research.
This is a problem, especially given that living our (implicit) values may change, or maybe even the values themselves change and come under increasing pressure in a changing world: research innovations, artificial intelligence, sustainability, climate change and political circumstances might all affect our values and how we defend them.
That is why we asked our fellows: Do you have a clear formulation of your “academic values”? Or a strong statement about how – if yes – they are coming under pressure? Or do you feel that this is a non-topic, a distraction that only diverts the focus away from the really important things to do and think?
We discussed these questions during a Jour fixe in January 2024 and then decided that “Academic Values” is such an important and topical issue that it should be discussed at the Zukunftskolleg’s Scientific Retreat from 17 to 19 September 2024 at Hohenfels Castle.
The fellows did not want solely to handle this topic “among themselves” but also to add an outside perspective to the discussion. We therefore invited Jan-Martin Wiarda, a well-known education and science journalist in Germany, to give a public lecture at Hohenfels Castle. He kicked off the Scientific Retreat on Tuesday afternoon and spoke about “The Value of Academic Values”.
Jan-Martin Wiarda presented “his” seven academic values: impartiality, truthfulness, transparency, fairness, diversity, performance orientation and social responsibility – without claiming to present a complete list.
He started his talk by asking several questions: Why do we need academic values? What is the difference between science and activism? What distinguishes a values-driven science from an ideological science? Are there academic values that are independent of certain disciplines, cultures and value judgements?
For him, values are like a moral compass or ethical guidelines; they are powerful because they are omnipresent. Although we might not be aware of them, we “have them and live by them”. According to Wiarda, academic values are detached from universal values such as integrity and academic freedom which are non-negotiable. “Science needs a solid foundation of values in order to do justice to its obligation toward society,” Jan-Martin Wiarda is sure. “This, the recognition of its obligation and responsibility toward society, is a fundamental academic value in itself.
Jan-Martin Wiarda talked about the interdependencies of certain values, i.e. for him impartiality, truthfulness, transparency belong together. Some fellows noted that impartiality would not exist since you always take a position in science. Wiarda therefore explicitly did not use the term “objectivity”. And it is here that the fine line between science and activism also comes into play. He says: “Activism is bad science when you use your personal opinion – and not scientific results – to convince someone.”
Based on their experiences, the fellows mentioned contradicting values, such as performance orientation vs. fairness/diversity. For Jan-Martin Wiarda, who sees diversity as a very important value, science is as efficient as possible when it is as diverse as possible. “Diversity is more than a social project, but an instrument for improving excellence.”
An instrument to improve the community feeling was a relaxed and delicious late-summer barbecue at Hohenfels Castle on Tuesday evening.
How to write a value statement
On Wednesday, the fellows continued their discussion about academic values, which was moderated by Harald Kühl (die regionauten). The final goal of this workshop was to write a value statement for the Zukunftskolleg.
Harald Kühl started the day with an exercise: Describe the Zukunftskolleg in three sentences, combined with Wiarda’s seven academic values!
An example: I am convinced that the Zukunftskolleg champions diversity. The number of fellows from different countries and disciplines is unparalleled. In a small room with around only 20 people, there is greater diversity than at my entire university campus with more than 800 people.
Or: The Zukunftskolleg lives up to the value of social responsibility because it provides a safe environment where independent research can be conducted and communicated. For example, early career researchers can choose and implement their own project ideas and share them with others.
Moderator Harald Kühl
Afterwards, Harald Kühl summarized the overarching aims of a value statement:
- To reflect what an organization stands for and prioritizes
- To sum up the guiding principles and objectives
- A shared understanding of behaviours, interactions, expectations
- To shape the culture and guide actions
- To enhance transparency and trust
He presented general academic values – accountability, commitment, critical thinking, diversity, excellence, freedom, fairness, honesty, inclusivity, integrity, openness, participation, respect, responsibility, trust, standards – and connected them to the Zukunftskolleg’s 5i strategy: independence for research, interdisciplinarity, intergenerational exchange, intra-university integration, international contacts.
He then asked the fellows to list the values that are characteristic of the Zukunftskolleg. Having completed this task, the fellows were divided into smaller groups to write a draft for the Zukuftskolleg’s value statement.
At the end of the afternoon, the fellows agreed on a first draft of the Zukunftskolleg’s value statement:
The Zukunftskolleg is a community of international researchers. We promote early career independence and interdisciplinary research by creating a space for mutual support, cooperation and critical thinking. Fellows actively engage in self-organization and informal exchange. It is based on the following values: solidarity, autonomy and diversity….
Finally, the fellows collected different possibilities for translating the value statement into action, e.g. linking the values to Jour fixe presentations or to funding instruments, posting fellows’ testimonials on social media or creating videos, designing postcards that describe our values, etc.
The Scientific Retreat ended with a dinner and get-together in the evening and a trip to Überlingen the next day.
