"Corruption" (including bribery/bribing/accepting benefits/granting benefits) includes, on the one hand, the abuse of a public office or function for the benefit of another, committed at the latter's instigation or on one's own initiative in order to obtain a material or immaterial benefit for oneself or a third party with the occurrence or expectation of a disadvantage for the general public or the institution. On the other hand, the term corruption includes actions that constitute violations of service or labor law, such as the acceptance of rewards, gifts or other advantages to which there is no legal claim, which are not covered by the approval of the principal/employer and which objectively better the employee, but also so-called "third parties" (e.g. family, relatives, friends, one's own department or the University!) materially or immaterially.

Example:
Circumventing the rules for awarding contracts, e.g. in order to favor a competitor in exchange for a corresponding benefit.

The acceptance of rewards or gifts is generally prohibited. Exception: The value limit of €10 (approval-free) or only with the consent of the HR department (up to a value of €50 per individual case) is not exceeded and the employee has not requested the benefit and is not accepting it for a performed or future official act. Benefits that are within the bounds of what is socially appropriate are permissible (normal bouquet of flowers, confectionery). 

Examples:
Acceptance of invitations from business partners of the University to events without official connection or official necessity or, in the case of official connection, outside the socially appropriate (luxury hotel, gourmet restaurant, extended social program, etc.).