Accessibility statement
 

Privacy notice - summer schools and short courses students

This privacy notice is for University of York students. It sets out the ways in which the University of York gathers, uses, stores and shares your data. It also tells you what to expect when the University of York records photographs or videos which include you, and sets out how long we keep your data and what rights you have in relation to your data under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018. 

For the purposes of this privacy notice, University of York is the Data Controller as defined in the UK GDPR. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office. Our registration number is: Z4855807.

Photography and video

The University of York’s Short Courses team captures photography and video for marketing purposes. These photos and videos are used to provide information about and promote the University’s summer school and short courses, research and other activities to audiences including potential UK and international students, parents, the public, policy-makers, benefactors and other stakeholders.

Capturing photography and video

When capturing photography and video, we do so under the legal basis of ‘legitimate interests’ and we employ the following practices to consider and protect people's rights and interests.

Where do we get your data from?

Much of the data we hold on you comes from your application form. Additional information may also have been provided by you as part of your interactions with us before applying or once enrolled. Information relating to you may also have been provided to us by third parties e.g. your sponsor, educational agent, referee or previous employer, college or university.

What data do we have?

Personal data including name, date of birth, home postal address, email address, telephone number, parent/guardian and emergency contact details, education records (past and present), disciplinary and attendance records.

Special category data including information about disability, health, ethnicity and racial origin. 

What is our legal basis for processing your data?

The University needs to collect and retain certain types of data, in various formats, about its current and past students in order to fulfil its functions as an education provider and to maintain its lifelong relationship with its alumni community. The University considers summer school and short course participants as part of its alumni community.

Typically, data will be processed:

  • on the grounds of contractual requirement or to take steps to enter into a contract with you e.g. to provide you with a University education;
  • because it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest (for information on our public task see our function as set out in our charter);
  • because it is necessary for our or a third party’s legitimate interests;
  • to allow us to comply with our legal obligations; 
  • to protect your or another person’s vital interests;
  • to monitor equality and diversity; 
  • because you have given us your consent or, in the case of special category data, your explicit consent.

When capturing photography and video do so under the legal basis of 'legitimate interests'.

This means that the University benefits from being able to record events to provide information about and promote the University’s courses, research and other activities, and that we are able to use photographs of you to do this, as long as it does not unfairly impact you.

How do we use your data?

The University may process your personal data (including special category data) for the following purposes:

  1. to administer applications and admissions processes and procedures and student records after admission;
  2. to deliver and facilitate your programme of study and provide you with teaching, research and educational services and support; 
  3. to provide you with and manage your use of University facilities and services and your participation at events;
  4. to administer the financial aspects of our relationship with you and any funders including processing any payments made by you to the University;
  5. to manage student accommodation;
  6. to monitor your performance and attendance;
  7. to manage academic progress (including the provision of references and the processing of student complaints and appeals, academic misconduct investigations and student disciplinary cases); 
  8. to operate the University’s quality assurance processes and arrangements;
  9. for legal, personnel, administrative and management purposes including the processing of any Special Category Data which may include information about your physical or mental health or condition in order to provide access arrangements, monitor fitness for study, leave from study, welfare and extenuating circumstances and/or other uses as may be required by law; 
  10. to enable effective communication with you including without limitation, providing you with information relating to University services and products, funding and/or sponsorship opportunities as well as links to relevant surveys and information on York student organisations; 
  11. for alumni relations purposes. For details see OPPA's Privacy Notice
  12. to identify ways to enhance learning, teaching, assessment and the broader student experience;
  13. to monitor equal opportunities; 
  14. to compile statistical and personal returns which the University may be required to publish or pass to government bodies or the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA); 
  15. to maintain the safety and security of the campus for all users. This may include the use of CCTV for crime prevention and detection purposes.    

In addition, please note:

  • whilst on campus you may be captured in photographs or video footage as part of a wider group shot. These images/recordings may be used by the University for promotional purposes e.g. in the development of the University's prospectus. If you have any concerns about the use of your image please contact the Data Protection Officer for more information, dataprotection@york.ac.uk.
  • the University uses lecture capture technology to record University teaching (typically audio only). In addition, students are sometimes granted permission to make their own recordings (again, typically audio only).  As a result, anything you say may be recorded whilst attending lectures, seminars and other teaching sessions depending on your proximity to the microphone. For rules around the use of recordings see: 
    • Replay lecture capture information for departments
    • Guidelines regarding the recording of lectures, seminars and other teaching sessions by students

Your image may be used in printed media produced by the University of York, such as prospectuses, guides, and training products, and/or in non-University materials such as magazines and newspapers. It may also be used on websites or social media channels managed by the University of York or associated organisations. Images may also be used around the University campus, for example on information screens or hoardings. Please note that video footage or quotations may be edited to keep them concise. We won't change the meaning of what you have said when editing.

You may appear on video recordings which will be used by the Centre or the University of York on webpages or on a live stream of the event. This content may be available to the general public at any point in the future. 

 

Who do we share your data with?

The University may share your data with:

  • employees and educational agents of the University
  • third parties that process data on behalf of the University to support it in fulfilling its obligations and responsibilities to and relationship with you (e.g. software and system providers)
  • other HE institutions, 3rd party providers or employers involved in delivery of your studies, educational services, international exchange or placement programmes
  • your home university or school
  • your parent(s) or guardian(s) if you are under the age of 18
  • Higher York (to enable the analysis and monitoring of learning trends, profiles, choices and outcomes and inform planning and development across the partnership)
  • the University of York Students’ Union on the grounds there is a legitimate interest to ensure you have full representation and access to the services and support mechanisms offered by the charities. York SU will offer you the opportunity to opt-out of communication/membership
  • government departments/agencies to whom we have a statutory obligation to release information (including the Office for Students, Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) (HESA's notice is available here), the UK Research Councils, the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) (ESFA’s notice is available here), the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, the Home Office UK Visas and Immigration, HM Revenue and Customs and Council Tax and Electoral Registration Offices
  • Ipsos Mori for the purposes of administering student surveys commissioned by the Office for Students
  • law enforcement agencies such as the police or relevant authorities dealing with emergency situations (only as required or appropriate and in line with Data Protection legislation).   

The University may also disclose your data to other 3rd parties not listed above on a case-by-case basis. Disclosures will be made in full accordance with the data protection legislation and only where necessary. Consent will be sought from you where appropriate and you will be told about such disclosures unless exceptional circumstances apply.

Where the University, Government or their respective agents (e.g. Office for Students) hold personal information provided by students, they may need to check the accuracy of this information against external data sources. This might involve contacting institutions to confirm qualifications obtained, for example, or checking whether a Higher Education Statistics Agency record already exists for a student. Any such checks will be made in compliance with data protection law. 

Published photos are available to anyone who has access to the website or printed materials in which the photo or video features.

The original photographs and videos will only be accessible to employees and agents of the University, or third parties that process data on behalf of the University (eg printing providers, digital asset management suppliers).

How do we keep your data secure?

The University takes information security extremely seriously and has implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data and special category data. Access to information is restricted on a need-to-know basis and security arrangements are regularly reviewed to ensure their continued suitability. For further information please see our IT security information.

How do we transfer your data safely internationally?

In certain circumstances, it is necessary to transfer your Personal Data (including Special Category Data) outside the UK. In respect of such transfers, the University will comply with our obligations under UK GDPR and ensure an adequate level of protection for all transferred data. 

How long will we keep your data?

The University will retain your data in line with legal requirements or where there is a business need. Retention timeframes will be determined in line with the University’s Records Retention Schedule.

What rights do you have in relation to your data?

Under the UK GDPR, you have a right of access to your data, a right to rectification, erasure (in certain circumstances), restriction, objection or portability (in certain circumstances). You also have a right to withdraw consent. Depending on the course you are enrolled in, you can verify or correct information in your student record online at any time or by contacting the Short Courses Team at global-shortcourses@york.ac.uk.  For all other requests, see what rights you have.

If you want to exercise your rights in particular to ask us to stop using photographs or videos which include you, then you can do so by contacting us at global-shortcourses@york.ac.uk . Please note that although we will stop using your image in any future publications, we will not be able to remove any copies which have already been published.

Opting out of photography or recording

If you're taking part in a summer school or short course or are attending an event at which there may be photography or video recording taking place, you can let us know and we'll make best efforts not to capture or retain any images or footage of you.

If you can, let us know in advance by emailing cgp-shortcourses@york.ac.uk stating which course or event you will be attending and when.

If you've not been able to let us know in advance or have any questions or concerns during a course or at an event, please direct these to the photographer or videographer on site.

Questions or concerns

If you have any questions about this privacy notice or concerns about how your data is being processed, please contact the Short Courses team at cgp-shortcourses@york.ac.uk.

If you have further questions, the University’s Data Protection Officer can be contacted at dataprotection@york.ac.uk.

Right to complain

If you are unhappy with the way in which the University has handled your personal data, please contact the Short Courses Team at cgp-shortcourses@york.ac.uk or the University’s Data Protection Officer at dataprotection@york.ac.uk in the first instance. If you remain dissatisfied, you have a right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office

Changes to our privacy notice

We keep our privacy notice under regular review. This notice was last updated on 8 December 2022.