Online publication of your dissertation – what you should know

Zunächst für die Online-Veröffentlichung:
For the online publication:
  • The full text of your dissertation as a PDF file with all pictures, graphics and tables
    It is possible to upload additional files (source code, data, additional material).
  • An abstract (summary) of your dissertation, if possible also in English
    Please insert this in the online form. A text editor is available for this purpose, which also allows you to enter source code such as HTML or MathML to a certain extent.
For the delivery in the University Library:
  • The completed and signed publication contract for the submission of electronic dissertations.
    You can download the prefilled publication contract directly from DuEPublico after uploading the files.
  • Two bound prints (exception Medical Faculty: submission of three print copies!) of the dissertation on age-resistant, wood-free and acid-free paper

In order to protect personal data, the University Library does not publish CVs in the online version of dissertations.

If necessary, please remove the CV from the electronic version of your dissertation and replace it as follows:
"The curriculum vitae is not included in the online version for data protection reasons."

Please make sure that this does not change the page count.

To ensure that your dissertation can be archived long-term, is readable and searchable, please note the following points when creating the PDF file:

  • All fonts and images used must be integrated into the file.
  • Do not use encryption or password protection, even for sub-functions such as printing or copying.
  • Please make sure that the PDF file is text-searchable and does not merely represent an image.
  • If possible, create your dissertation in PDF/A format.

Publications on DuEPublico always take place in Open Access. The author retains the rights to the publication. This means that "All rights reserved" always applies and therefore reading is permitted exclusively for the time being.

As an author, however, you can define terms of use for a publication by granting a free licence ("release some rights" or "reserve some rights").
Information on free licenses, such as CC licenses (Creative Commons), can be found on the information pages of the University Library.

If you decide to publish your dissertation under a free license, please remember to include the license notice in the PDF document as well.

The University has no objections to the simultaneous publication of an electronic dissertation by a publisher.

However, you warrant that the publication of the work on the Internet by the library does not infringe the rights of third parties. Please note this in connection with any further distribution / publication by publishers.

You should inform the respective publisher that your work will be distributed simultaneously on the Internet. If your publisher does not agree, you have the option of submitting your dissertation in one of the other possible forms.

For information on forms of publication, the submission of deposit copies, the doctoral regulations and the contact persons, see the information pages of the University Library.

Step by step to online publication

DuEPublico guides you step by step through the process. This is how the online publication in DuEPublico works:

  • Upload the file
  • Print out the publication contract and hand it in signed in the University Library together with two (respectively three) printouts.
  • The library checks and compares the printed copies and the PDF version.
    We add identifiers to the metadata (DOI, URN) and supplement the PDF document by an info box with data about DuEPublico, the identifiers and a possibly selected license.
    Then we activate the files in DuEPublico.
    Only then is your dissertation accessible online in full text worldwide.
  • The dissertation is sent to the German National Library for archiving.
Publish your dissertation now ...