Student Privacy Notice
This is a summary of our full Student Privacy Notice.
This privacy notice explains the types of personal data we may collect and how we use it. This notice applies to you if you have ever applied, enrolled or registered to study with the University. Our full Student Privacy Notice is available here.
We want to ensure you are fully informed about your rights and how the University uses your data.
What personal information do we collect about you?
As soon as you contact us, including through UCAS, you enter into a contract with us. As part of the contract, we will need to process your personal data. In order to do so, we create a record in your name. During your time studying with us, we add information to your record about your study and your contact with us. Below are examples of types of information we may hold about you:
- Your name, address and contact details
- Details of your qualifications and previous applications
- Your marital status, next of kin and trusted contacts
- Nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability and medical requirements
- Bank details
- Visa application details
- Records of attendance and work completed.
How do we collect your information?
From your first contact with the University you will provide us with information such as your name and other personal identifiers. However, we may also collect information about you from a range of sources.
We automatically collect information about your participation in learning and assessment activities and your use of the virtual learning environment Blackboard and the library. We will also add to your record any activities you conduct on the website, your University e-mail address and other Microsoft Office 365 services.
We may receive information from third parties, for example UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) to support your application to higher education. If you are required to undertake a placement as part of your course, we will receive information about you from the placement provider.
In the process of applying and registering with the University you will provide us with your information. You may also provide us with special category information which includes your ethnicity, religious beliefs, disabilities or sexual orientation.
For more information about how we process special category data, the Use of Special Category Data of Students Privacy Notice is available here.
How do we use your personal data?
We collect and process a broad range of your personal data to deliver our services and support you. We use this personal data to manage our operations effectively, and to meet our legal requirements.
We have a commitment to the data protection principles of good practice for handling information. We hold personal information securely. We will only transfer data within the University on a ‘need-to-know’ basis. We do this to provide educational, support and other services to you.
We use your data to improve the wider student experience, and the quality of teaching and learning. We may contact you to carry out research to do with the student experience. We may use an external agency to do the research on our behalf.
We use your equal opportunities data (which is called special category data) you provide to us for monitoring purposes. We use this data to ensure we take account of the views of students with specific protected characteristics. We may provide specific support to student groups with shared characteristics. We may use this data to identify if you need support and to provide you with relevant opportunities. We use information about any disabilities and special requirements you tell us about. This is to make reasonable adjustments and other provisions for your study.
The legal bases we use to process your data
Contractual obligations
When you become a student at the University, you enter into a contract with us so that we can provide you with an education.
We will then need to process your personal data in order to comply with our contractual obligations. For example, at the application stage to correspond with applicants regarding the next steps in the application process.
Legal compliance
We may need to process your data in order to ensure we are complying with relevant laws and legislation.
For example, we may need to process your data under this legal basis for monitoring purposes to ensure we meet our statutory obligations including those related to diversity, equal opportunities and health and safety.
Public task
We may need to process your data where we are required to perform a task in the public interest or for our official functions.
For example, we may process your data for the administration of induction events, registration of students on courses, monitoring of students’ attendance and to award qualifications
Legitimate interests
In specific situations, we require your data to pursue our legitimate interests in a way that it is reasonable to expect as part of running the University. We do this in a way that does not materially affect your rights, freedom or interests.
For example, we may process your data under this legal basis to maintain contact with former students through our alumni relations.
Consent
We might collect and process your data with your consent in specific situations. We will tell you if we need your consent and will ask you to give consent before processing your data. You can withdraw your consent at any time and do not need to give us a reason.
For example, we may process your personal data under this legal basis when offering additional support services such as career advice or counselling services.
Vital interests
We may need to process your data to protect your vital interests or those of another person. It will take place only where we cannot process your data on another legal basis.
For example, if a student needs to be admitted to a hospital’s A & E department with life-threatening injuries following a severe road accident, we may need to disclose information to protect the student’s vital interests.
Who do we share your personal data with?
We sometimes use external service providers to carry out activities for us, for instance to arrange events and carry out surveys. If so, they may process your personal information. They do this processing under contract with us. These contracts contain confidentiality obligations.
For example, we share some information with Canterbury Christ Church Students’ Union (CCCU). This is because you automatically become a member when you register to study with us. You can ask us not to share this information.
We also share data with organisations where we have legal or regulatory requirements such as the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). On 4 October 2022 HESA merged with Jisc. HESA is now part of Jisc. Jisc provides information about who they are, how they process personal data and for what purposes and individual rights in relation to personal data. This information is provided in HESA’s collection notice.
We also share your data to invite you to participate in surveys commissioned by the Office for Students (OfS), which contractors may carry out on its behalf.
How long do we keep your personal data?
How long we keep your personal information depends on our purpose for using the information and our legal obligations.
We have a retention schedule for information and keep identifiable records only for as long as they have a legal or business purpose.
For more information about how long we keep records for, a full breakdown can be accessed here.
How do we protect and store your personal information?
The University takes the security of your data seriously. The University has internal policies and controls in place to try to ensure that your data is not lost, accidentally destroyed, misused or disclosed, and is not accessed except by its employees in the performance of their duties.
Where the University engages third parties to process personal data on its behalf, they do so on the basis of written instructions, are under a duty of confidentiality and are obliged to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures in line with our policies to ensure the security of your personal data.
The Data Controller and further information
Canterbury Christ Church University is the Data Controller for this personal data.
Please click the link below to access further information regarding: