Leaving out expressions of gratitude from a foreword to a doctoral thesis was not a RCR violation (TENK 2021:11)

Professor A had acted as the Phd supervisor of natural sciences doctoral researcher B and co-author in all of the separate publications of B’s doctoral dissertation. In addition, B had made the corrections proposed by A for the conclusion section of his doctoral dissertation. For this reason, A considers that they should have been taken into account in the foreword of the dissertation in question. As this was not the case, A had made a notification of a suspected RCR violation. A was dissatisfied because the university had chosen not to launch a preliminary inquiry.

According to the university’s decision, B should be allowed to decide for themselves who they thank in the foreword of their dissertation and how they do so. Although it was exceptional for a doctoral candidate not to mention their supervisor in this context, the RCR process could not be launched because it did not constitute a RCR violation. In its statement, TENK agreed with the university’s view.