TU Bergakademie Freiberg is one of the top international addresses in the field of resource technologies and has been shaping worldwide developments in this area. A large number of research institutions in the field of resource research can trace their origins directly back to the TU Bergakademie Freiberg or to scientists trained here. Our international network and the number of partnerships are correspondingly large. In addition to numerous national and international university, research and industry partnerships, TU Bergakademie Freiberg is actively involved in networks such as the European University Alliance EURECA-PRO - The European University on Responsible Consumption and Production and German Resource Research Institute (GERRI). TUBAF also was a driving force behind the initiation of the world's largest innovation network for resource technologies, EIT RawMaterials, with more than 120 partners from education, research and industry.

Numerous scientific institutions as well as research-related institutions and companies are located in Freiberg and in the surrounding region. Local partners include Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF), Fraunhofer Technology Center High Performance Materials THM, die Fraunhofer Office for Carbon Cycle Technologies, DBI - Gastechnologisches Institut gGmbH, FILK Freiberg Institute, Saxon State Office for Agriculture, Environment and Geology, Sächsische Mining Office as well as several other affiliated institutes and industrial research groups.

Saxon initiatives in which the TU Bergakademie Freiberg is actively involved include Energy Saxony, Leichtbau-Allianz Sachsen, Saxon Hydrogen Union, rECOmine, GlasCampus Torgau, Geokompetenzzentrum Freiberg, Freiberger Interessengemeinschaft der Recycling- und Entsorgungsunternehmen and Circular Saxony. 

Several foundations support science and research at TUBAF. Of particular note is the Dr. Erich Krüger Foundation, one of the largest university foundations in Germany, which helps to implement projects worth well over 1 million euros per year.

Our research serves society. Through our work and its results, we contribute to the creation and preservation of good humanitarian and natural living conditions, as well as to the solution of major societal challenges in resource, environmental, and climate protection. We promote sustainable development in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, as well as an innovation-friendly, open-minded, peaceful, and tolerant coexistence.

TU Bergakademie Freiberg adheres to the principles of good scientific practice as well as the guidelines outlined in the DFG Code of Conduct "Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice" and implements them bindingly for all scientists and students. Good scientific practice pertains to the conduct of research and documentation, interaction and communication with students and colleagues, and the publication of results. The corresponding regulations provide support and guidance while also addressing the handling of conflict situations.

Scientists at TUBAF enjoy a high degree of freedom. Courage, creativity, as well as an entrepreneurial and exploratory spirit are supported. We have a culture of enabling and supporting, curiosity, and respectful interaction. This includes openness to new and unconventional approaches and methods. Scientists are treated with equal respect, regardless of gender, ethnic and cultural background, religion, worldview, individual limitations, or orientations. They are included in the community and provided with individual support.

TU Bergakademie Freiberg commits to Open Science and supports the disclosure and dissemination of knowledge and research findings for the benefit of humanity and the implementation of sustainable development goals. It is a signatory of the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Scientific Knowledge and provides its scientists with the necessary resources to publish research results and data openly accessible. The university has its own repositories, including the publication platform Qucosa and the research data repository OpARA. In addition, TU Bergakademie Freiberg is part of the DEAL consortium and offers support for cost-based Open Access publications through an Open Access Fund.

With various formats, such as within the framework of the 4transfer project, the university promotes science communication and knowledge and technology transfer to the economy and society.

TU Bergakademie Freiberg provides all necessary conditions for a professional and responsible handling, as well as the long-term preservation and accessibility of research data. We are a member of the National Research Data Infrastructure Association (NFDI), and our scientists actively participate in its relevant subject groups. Additionally, we are involved in the SaxFDM (Research Data Management Saxony) network, which provides advisory and support services to scientists in Saxony.

TU Bergakademie Freiberg commits to complying with national and international legal and security standards, scientific integrity, as well as the ethical and responsible implementation and utilization of research projects. The recommendations for handling security-related research issued by the German Research Foundation (DFG) in collaboration with the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina are fully implemented at TU Bergakademie Freiberg. If necessary, scientists at the university can seek advice from the Vice Rectorate for Research or the Research Commission, which operates as the "Commission for Ethics and Security-Related Research." The commission can also provide ethics opinions required for specific project funding.

A guide with questions and further instructions for self-assessment of the security relevance of research activities is available as a tool for self-evaluation. The guide can be accessed here: Questions for Self-Assessment of Security Relevance in Research (PDF)

Ethical and security-related risks also exist in the context of scientific collaborations, particularly those involving international partners. TU Bergakademie Freiberg explicitly adheres to the applicable regulations of foreign trade and export control law. These regulations aim to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, uncontrolled transfer of conventional armaments, and to ensure protection against serious human rights violations and terrorism. Any scientific or economic activities with international relevance, even if they involve the transmission of knowledge or measurement results, must be individually assessed for compliance with foreign trade law. In cases of doubt, the contact persons in the Department 2, Research Affairs Office, or the Legal Department provide advice and, if necessary, guidance on further steps or reporting and approval requirements.

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