Research at HTW Berlin is performed with ethical principles in mind. The ethical guidelines contain the following ten principles and define the procedure to be initiated in the event of a breach of the same.

1. In their projects, researchers respect the personal freedom and fundamental rights of their subjects.
2. The researchers undertake to comply with the principles for the processing of personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
3. The researchers ensure that scientific research results are not misused for unethical purposes.
4. HTW Berlin excludes research for military purposes as a matter of principle and treats research results for civilian purposes that could also simultaneously be used for military purposes with particular care (dual-use).
5. In research activities in non-EU countries, researchers at HTW Berlin are committed to respecting local traditions, laws and needs, as well as to cooperating with local partners on an equal footing.
6. Research on and with AI at HTW Berlin is conducted with respect for human autonomy, harm prevention, fairness and comprehensibility.
7. In its research projects, HTW Berlin is committed to protecting its employees, the environment, animals and plants.
8. When experimenting on animals for research purposes, researchers ensure compliance with the 3R principles of replacement, reduction and refinement.
9. When using human tissue or cells for research purposes, researchers comply with regulatory safety standards to ensure the quality of the samples as well as the privacy rights of the donors.
10. In research on embryos as well as cell and stem cell research, researchers at HTW Berlin exercise particular care with regard to compliance with legal regulations, the origin of samples used and the protection of the personal rights of donors.

A detailed version of the ethical guidelines is available to university members in the form of a password-protected circular on the intranet.