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Privacy Notice – Ulster University, Department of Global Engagement

This Privacy Notice explains how Ulster University (Global Engagement) collects, uses and processes participants’ personal data as a data controller and explains participants’ rights in relation to the personal data that the University processes for students in receipt of external funding such as those delivered through the Turing Scheme (Capita) or the Irish Government which provides funding for students and learning to take part in education and training opportunities across the world. Further information regarding Capita’s privacy notice can be found here: Privacy Policy - Turing Scheme (turing-scheme.org.uk)

The University actively seeks to preserve the privacy rights of those individuals that share information with the University.  The personal data which you provide to the University will be processed in accordance with UK data protection legislation, specifically UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

What is the purpose and legal basis of the processing?

As recipients of external funding for the University’s Global Engagement Team are required to submit participant data to the funding source. This would include submitting student data to the provider/s of the funding. This includes Capita who currently deliver the Turing Scheme on behalf of the UK Government’s Department for Education and the Irish Government.

The University collects this personal data in line with academic requirements. Please refer to the Student Privacy Notice for more detail. All student mobility data is also collected for risk management oversight.

The following lawful basis that applies to this search study:

  • UK GDPR Article 6.1(a) – the data subject has given consent to the processing of their personal data for specific purposes.
  • UK GDPR Article 6.1(b) - processing is necessary for a contract you have with the individual, or because they have asked you to take specific steps before entering into a contract.
  • UK GDPR Article 6.1(e) – processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.

For processing special category data, our legal basis for processing is:

  • UK GDPR Article 9(g) – reasons of substantial public interest (with a basis in law).
  • Data Protection Act 2018, Part 2, Schedule 1 (6) - Statutory etc and government purposes
  • Data Protection Act 2018, Part 2, Schedule 1 (16) - Support for individuals with a particular disability or medical condition
  • Data Protection Act 2018, Part 2, Schedule 1 (18) - Safeguarding of children and individuals at risk

How the University collects your personal data

The University shall collect the personal data from you directly with the completion of the funding application form and if necessary, from university student records.

As a recipient of funding the information you provide within this application form will be shared with the funding provider as part of the Grant payment request process and distribution of funding.

Change of Purpose

The University will only use your personal data for the purposes for which it collected in, unless the University reasonable considers that it needs to use the personal data for another reason and that reason is compatible with the original purpose.  If the University needs to use your personal data for an unrelated purpose it shall notify you and explain the legal basis for which allows the University to do so.

How long does the University hold your personal data?

Personal data collected as part of any external funding process, such as Turing or the Irish Government scheme will be retained for a period of 7 years upon the end of the programme’s lifecycle. This is the term that applies to all records which may be required for audits or recoveries.

The University’s Retention and Disposal Schedule includes guidance on retention and disposal periods.

Categories of personal data processed by the University

Personal Data

The University may collect, use, store and transfer the following types of personal data as part of this processing:

If you are a student in receipt of external funding and participating in a study, work or volunteer opportunity abroad we will collect the following personal data about you:

  • First name
  • Last name
  • Contact details
  • Date of birth
  • Pupil, learner or student ID number
  • Home postcode
  • Gender
  • Level of education
  • Whether you have a special educational need or a disability
  • Whether you are eligible for extra financial support provided to participants who are from disadvantaged backgrounds
  • Email address and telephone number, or the email address and telephone number of the person accompanying you if you are under 18
  • Bank Details
  • Passport Details

Special Category Data

“Special Categories” or particularly sensitive personal information, such as information about your health, racial or ethnic origin, sexual orientation require higher levels of protection.  The following categories of special category data will be processed:

  • Health
  • Racial or ethnic origin
  • Biometric data (where used for identification purposes)
  • Nationality
  • Ethnicity

Who does the University share your data with

The University shares personal data with third parties where necessary for the purposes of the processing and where there is a legal basis to do so.  Where information is shared with such third parties, the University will seek to share the minimum amount necessary.

As part of this processing the University may share your personal data with the following third parties:

International Transfers

The University will transfer your personal data to the following countries outside of the United Kingdom:

  • Republic of Ireland (Irish Government funding scheme)

In these circumstances your personal data is being transferred on the basis that the Secretary of State has made an adequacy regulation in respect of said countries.  This means that countries are deemed to provide equivalent protection to personal data as provided by the UK data protection regime.

Your rights as a Data Subject

As a University data subject you have the right to:

  • Access and obtain a copy of your personal data on request;
  • Require the University to change incorrect or incomplete personal data;
  • Require the University to delete or remove your personal data, for example where the data is no longer necessary for the purposes of processing.  Note, however that the University may not always be able to comply with your request of erasure for specific legal reasons which will be notified to you, if applicable, at the time of your request;
  • Object to the processing of your personal data where the University is relying on its legitimate interests as a legal ground for processing;
  • Where the University is relying upon consent to process your personal data, you may withdraw your consent at any time; and ask the University to stop processing personal data for a period if the personal data is inaccurate or there is a dispute about whether or not your interests override the University’s legitimate grounds for processing the personal data.

Further information and your right to complain

Get further information in respect of the University’s practice in respect of data protection and our Data Protection Policy.

If you want to review, verify, correct or request erasure of your personal information, object to the processing of your personal data, or request the University transfer a copy of your personal information to another party, please contact the University’s Data Protection Officer,

Eoin Coyle at: c/o Ulster University, Room J308, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, 2871 675525

Gdpr@ulster.ac.uk

If you are not satisfied with how the University is processing your personal data, you can make a complaint to the ICO.  Further information about your data privacy rights are available on the ICO’s website.