Privacy Policy

Personal information which you supply to us will be held by Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University).  The programme is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and operating across the UK.

The Research Programme is led by Swansea University in partnership with Cardiff University, the University of Sheffield, Imperial College London, Newcastle University, the University of Bath, Loughborough University, the University of Birmingham, University of Nottingham and University College London. 

Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University) is committed to protecting the rights of registered users in line with Data Protection legislation. UKRI require the operation to collect certain information for reporting and evaluation purposes. For data UKRI require, Swansea University is the data processor and UKRI is the data controller. For data Active Building Centre Research Programme require, Swansea University is the data controller. The Data Protection Officer for Swansea University can be contacted through dataprotection@swansea.ac.uk. 

This statement explains how Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University) handles and uses your personal information during your time as a prospective or existing client or partner of the project and after our relationship completes. Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University) is committed to protecting your information and being transparent about what information it holds.  

What personal information do we collect? 

In addition to technical and business information you disclose to us to be able to support your enquiry/collaboration/guidance, we collect the following personal information from individuals and organisations who wish to receive support or are a partner of Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University): 

  • Name of organisation lead contact/ technical officers/ employees involved in the support/collaboration/contract; 
  • Work contact details of personnel involved in the support/collaboration/contract; 
  • Job role/title of personnel involved in the support/collaboration/contract; 
  • Contact details for colleagues and assistants to key staff. 
  • Information about an individual’s engagement with the university such as attendance at events and workshops, collaborative activity and research, consultancy, etc. 
  • Information relating to the provision of guidance and support. 
  • Health information such as dietary or accessibility requirements. 
  • Photographs at our support/promotional events. 

Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University) will collect information about you in the course of its dealings with you as a current or former client/partner. We may also receive information about you from outside the project such as from project partner organisations, e.g. UKRI. Your information will be managed appropriately by Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University) and in accordance with the processing as outlined within this privacy statement. 

Why do we collect personal information and how do we use it? 

Although it is not possible to state every purpose for which your information will be used, the following are examples of how it is likely to be used while you are a client/partner: 

  1. To evaluate eligibility for Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University) support according to funding compliance requirements and the project approval process; 
  2. To monitor and evaluate engagements at operation management and governance level; 
  3. To report to project funders and government data requests; 

No direct marketing will be undertaken to you without an appropriate legal basis. 

On occasion, you might supply us your sensitive personal information to attend one of our events (e.g. accessibility or dietary needs), such personal information will be used only for this intended purpose and will be disposed of at the earliest opportunity. At our events we will usually have a photographer present taking general photographs used to promote the event, or if you have applied to be in formal activity of the event e.g. a competition/speaker we will usually take photos of the presentation. We will provide opportunities to opt out of close up photographs at the events. 

We are providing general assistance and guidance rather than formal advice, so to be clear any responsibility arising from the consequences of the decisions you make in relation to your organisation and IP remains with you. 

What is our legal basis for processing? 

Where processing of personal data is necessary in order to provide you with a product or service, the processing is likely to be necessary for the performance of a contract or in order to take steps at the request of the individual prior to entering into a contract.  

Some processing may be necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University) or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data for example the use of photography at our events. We will only process special categories of data, for example, dietary needs collected at events, with your explicit consent. 

Who receives your personal information? 

Your personal information will be stored on our secure electronic systems and databases and will be shared with relevant colleagues in Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University) to provide you services and guidance. Personal information is protected and will not be disclosed to third parties without consent except when necessary as part of our contractual obligations e.g.  to project funders or partners of the project supporting your interaction with us. For Example, Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University) is funded by UKRI so your information will be shared with those funders as a condition of our grant. Information is made available to persons or organisations requiring access for the reasons outlined above. These include: 

  • Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University) academic, technical and administrative staff; 
  • University operation governance and management boards; 
  • External funders and partners/advisors directly involved with your collaboration with Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University); 
  • Third party data processors, acting on behalf of Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University) or our external funders and partners/advisors who may contact you directly in order to gather information to enable the evaluation process;

Any disclosures made will be in accordance with Data Protection Legislation and your interests will be considered. 

How your personal information is stored? 

Data Protection legislation requires us to keep your information secure. This means that your confidentiality will be respected, and all appropriate measures will be taken to prevent unauthorised access and disclosure. Only members of staff who need access to relevant parts or all of your information will be authorised to do so. Information about you in electronic form will be subject to password and other security restrictions. Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University)uses third party cloud services to store and process personal data. There may be times where your personal data may reside on servers outside the EU. Where there is processing outside of the EU, Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University) will ensure then any transfers are secure, lawful and justified in line with the GDPR. 

How long will your information be held? 

Your personal data may be held for the duration of your engagement with Active Building Centre Research Programme (Swansea University) and for a reasonable period of time upon its conclusion to comply with regulatory audit and for as long as is necessary to maintain the relationship. Information held for research and archiving purposes may be kept for longer and in line with the GDPR Article 89 safeguards. 

What are your rights? 

You have a right to access your personal information, to object to the processing of your personal information, to rectify, to erase, to restrict and to port your personal information (please note however that this is likely to affect our ability to provide support to you in the most effective way, if at all). If you have provided consent to Swansea University to process any of your data, then you also have a right to withdraw that consent. Please visit the Data Protection webpages for further information in relation to your rights.

Any requests or objections should be made in writing to the University Data Protection Officer: 

Mrs Bev Buckley, University Compliance Officer (FOI/DP), Vice-Chancellor’s Office, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea , SA2 8PP 

Email: dataprotection@swansea.ac.uk   

If you are unhappy with the way in which your personal information has been processed, you may in the first instance contact the University Data Protection Officer using the contact details above.  

If you remain dissatisfied, then you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: – 

Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF 

www.ico.org.uk  

Your responsibilities 

Please advise of any changes to your name, address, contact details, etc as soon as practically possible so that we can amend our records accordingly. You should not use your relationship and collaboration with Swansea University for any press or marketing purposes without the express consent of Swansea University. 

Consequences of not providing your information  

The consequences of not providing your information when necessary for the performance of a contract or in order to take steps at the request of the individual prior to entering into a contract, would mean that the University will not be able to offer you some and indeed possibly none of its products and services without it.  

Changes to our Privacy Policy 

Any changes we make to our privacy policy in the future will be posted on this page and where appropriate, notified to you by email. Please check back frequently to see and updates or changes to our privacy policy. 

Swansea University is designated as public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and are therefore subject to receiving requests for recorded information.  Freedom of Information or Environmental Information requests will be responded to in line with the provisions of the relevant legislation.