Complaints Office
At Merseburg University of Applied Sciences, we value equality, fairness, cooperative behaviour, and respectful communication both internally and externally. Students, employees, and guests should be treated fairly and equitably with mutual respect.
This aspiration should but cannot always succeed. If you feel that you or others have been treated unjustly, unfairly, disrespectfully, or discriminated against (or are unsure whether this may be the case), don't hesitate to get in touch with us. We will first listen to your concerns and then advise you on whether and what further action you can and want to take. This may, for example, be a conversation with those who you feel have treated you badly, it may be the involvement of other parties (e.g. superiors) or third parties (e.g. lawyers or police) or the initiation of a "formal complaints procedure" within the university.
The Complaints Office (in German: Vertrauensstelle) of our University was set up in the summer of 2021. The basis for the work of the confidentiality office is the "Regulations for respectful and fair treatment and protection against discrimination and disadvantage at Merseburg University of Applied Sciences" (Amtl. Bekanntmachungen 23/2021).
You can reach us at vertrauensstelle@hs-merseburg.de.
We will also report on our work as part of the Equal Opportunities Officer's annual report to the Senate of the University. We are happy to receive suggestions and comments that can improve our work.
Contact us via vertrauensstelle@hs-merseburg.de
You can contact us by giving your name and e-mail address - or anonymously if you prefer. However, please be aware that we will then not be able to contact you if necessary and will not be able to inform you about what happens next. If anonymity is important to you, you could consider contacting us via a third party (intermediary) so that you yourself can remain anonymous to us.
FAQ zur Vertrauensstelle
Students, staff and guests of Merseburg University of Applied Sciences can contact us if they have any problems or conflicts within the university context. The best and easiest way to do so is to send an email to vertrauensstelle@hs-merseburg.de. This can only be read by us as the team members of the complaints office.
As representatives of the complaints office, we are available to you as contact points for a wide range of problems. Possible reasons could include, for example:
- You are being harassed, bullied or threatened,
- you feel discriminated against and disadvantaged,
- You have a conflict with other members of the university that you are currently unable to resolve on your own and for which you would like support,
- You see structural deficiencies at our university that hinder equal treatment, fairness, and mutual respect.
You have come to the right place in all these situations, and you can turn to us with all these and similar (and perhaps completely different) concerns.
Sometimes it is not easy to put the situation that is bothering you into words. You may ask yourself "Is this discrimination?", "Is this harassment?" or "Is my problem bad/difficult / important enough for me to turn to the counselling centers?" "Am I (or are others) in danger?"
In these cases too, please do not hesitate to approach us and talk to us.
After you have contacted us via phone or e-mail, we will arrange a meeting with you as soon as possible. You are also welcome to bring a trusted person with you.
During this meeting, we will listen to your account and, if necessary, ask questions. We will then talk to you about the options for further action - and ask you about your wishes: it's up to you.
- If you just want to talk and don't wish to go any further, we will respect that. In that case, the conversation will remain the same.
- If you want to stand up for your own interests, we will support you - and advise you on how you can achieve this best.
- If you ask us to contact others and perhaps also to mediate and moderate discussions, we will do our best to do so.
- If you are advocating for fundamental or structural changes within the university, we can refer you to the relevant authorities.
- If you want to contact the police, we will support and accompany you.
You can also initiate a "formal complaints procedure". We will then pass the information on to the university management, which will then take further action independently and on its own responsibility (for example, investigate, take action under labor or employment law, involve the judiciary, etc.). Further details are described in Section 6 of the "Regulations on respectful and fair treatment and protection against discrimination and disadvantage at Merseburg University of Applied Sciences" (Amtl. Bekanntmachungen 23/2021).
We will always advise you on all of this so that you can decide for yourself how to proceed.
Yes, your information is safe with the employees within the confidential advice centre. They will liaise and coordinate with each other - especially on how to best advise you as a person seeking advice.
Sometimes it can be useful to involve third parties (equal opportunities officer, university management, police) to clarify the situation. However, this will only happen if you agree to it.
If we learn that the safety of university members or guests is under acute threat, we reserve the right to inform the university management or the police.
Yes, you are welcome to choose which of us you tell your concerns to. In any case, we will always discuss and consult with each other in the team of the confidential counselling centre in order to be able to give you the best possible advice.
Only if one of us representatives is affected, please contact one of the other team members (or the university management) directly. They will discuss your concerns without the person concerned.
Yes, you can also send us anonymous messages, e.g. using the form on the left or by (in-house) post. Please bear in mind that we will not be able to contact you if necessary and will not be able to inform you about what happens next. You may want to consider contacting us via a third party so that your identity remains anonymous to us.