Do roku więzienia za używanie tytułu doktora
zajaczkowski.org
„Według Chemical & Engineering News siedmiu amerykańskim naukowcom prowadzącym badania w Niemczech w Max Planck Society (MPS) postawiono zarzuty bezprawnego popisywania się tytułem doktora. Według Niemieckiego prawa użycie tytułu Dr w dokumentach (ale także w oficjalnych informacjach na stronach internetowych) przed nazwiskiem, jest zarezerwowane wyłącznie dla osób, które uzyskały go na uczelni w jednym z krajów należących do Unii Europejskiej.
Sprawa zwykle kończy się mandatem, ale ponieważ przewinienie dotyczy prawa federalnego, maksymalną karą może być nawet rok pozbawienia wolności. Skutek jest taki, że osoby posiadające legalnie tytuł naukowy, uzyskany na np. prestiżowej amerykańskiej uczelni, nie mogą go legalnie używać w Niemczech. Przykładowo na wizytówkach zamiast Dr na początku muszą stosować dopisane po nazwisku PhD.
Problem był dla wielu osób całkowitym zaskoczeniem. MPS już wynajęło adwokatów do zajęcia się tą sprawą oraz podjęło kroki mające na celu zmianę feralnego przepisu.”
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Mistaken Masquerade
Scientists in Germany with U.S. Ph.D.s face charges for posing as ‚Dr.‚
Chemical & Engineering News
„The whole situation is absurd,” says Jonathan Gershenzon, a director at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena. Gershenzon received his doctorate at the University of Texas, Austin. He was charged with impersonating a „Dr.” by German officials in January.
According to German criminal law, the title „Dr.” is reserved only for individuals who received a doctoral degree from a European Union institution, explains Erik Kraatz, a criminal lawyer at the Free University, Berlin. Kraatz notes that the law also prohibits masquerading as a police officer, medical doctor, or professor.
„I am not allowed to be publicly listed as ‚Dr. Baldwin,’ ” says Ian T. Baldwin, another director at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, who was also charged in January. „To obey the law, I must refer to myself as ‚Ian Baldwin, Ph.D., Cornell University, Ithaca (N.Y.).’ ”
Indeed, to legally use the title „Dr.” in Germany, foreign-trained scientists must request permission from their local German state government. With this state-level consent, they can use the title „Dr.” anywhere in the country. But without the state’s permission to use the title, a scientist breaks two laws: the state law requiring approval to use the „Dr.” title and the federal impersonation law, Kraatz says.
Schutz, Baldwin, Gershenzon, and David G. Heckel, a Stanford University-trained director at the chemical ecology institute who has been similarly charged, have removed the title „Dr.” from their websites and business cards. Baldwin’s and Gershenzon’s cases are still pending, whereas Heckel’s and Schutz’s have been dismissed.
Although C&EN has counted seven scientists in Germany who are facing or have recently faced the title misuse charge, the number seems to be rising. In a February letter to the top scientists within MPS, which is one of the largest employers of foreign researchers in Germany, MPS Secretary General Barbara Bludau wrote, „Against the background of a growing number of charges and preliminary proceedings brought against our Directors owing to the unauthorized use of academic titles, the need for legal advice has steadily grown.”
MPS has now hired a legal firm and is also using its influence to try to change German law, MPS President Peter Gruss wrote in a statement.
„I hope that the law will be changed to allow scientists with a legitimate, earned Ph.D. from an accredited university outside of the EU to use the ‚Dr.’ title in Germany without fear of harassment or prosecution,” Heckel says. ”
Soon In Germany, U.S. Ph.D. = Dr.
Officials move to allow U.S. doctoral graduates to use the title „Dr.” in Germany
Chemical & Engineering News
Scientists in Germany with U.S.-acquired doctoral degrees will soon be able to use the „Dr.” title without fear of criminal prosecution.
In Germany, the „Dr.” title is reserved for individuals who acquired their doctoral degrees in Germany or other European Union countries. Using the title without government consent is considered a criminal offense, carrying a maximum penalty of one year in jail.
Since publication of the incidents involving the Max Planck directors, however, a conference of German state education ministers has agreed that people with doctoral degrees from U.S. institutions can legally use the „Dr.” title in Germany
„I think this decision is just great,” says Ian T. Baldwin, a director at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and a Cornell University alumnus who has faced charges of misusing the „Dr.” title. „Science is globalized. It’s good to see the German educational system adjusting to this.”
Analogous recognition for people with doctoral degrees from Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, and Russia is also currently being considered by the education ministers.
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