Against Abuse of Power
Type of resource
Guide / Handbook
Field
Higher education / Labour rights and workplace protection
Published by
Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (GEW)
Language
German
Target group
University staff, doctoral researchers, student representatives, staff councils
Access
Published in March 2026 by the Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (GEW), this guide addresses the widespread but often underreported problem of abuse of power in higher education and research institutions. Universities and research organisations are characterised by pronounced hierarchies and multiple dependency relationships, for example between supervisors and doctoral researchers, lecturers and students, and permanent and fixed-term staff, which create particular structural conditions for power to be misused.
This guide covers the various forms abuse of power can take, including excessive workload, appropriation of intellectual property, discrimination, and sexualised violence, and examines how it intersects with research misconduct and discrimination law. It also outlines practical options for those affected, for bystanders, and for staff representatives, as well as structural and cultural measures that institutions can take to prevent and respond to abuse. Each chapter is designed to be used independently.
