The University of South Wales is the controller and is committed to protecting the rights of individuals in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the (DPA) UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).
The University collects and records the following personal information through the graduation process:
Contact details (from your student record)
Degree course completed (from your student record)
Special requirements for graduands and guests (from the gradation system)
Your image via a live broadcasting link and photos (collected during the ceremony). Our social media team will be present on the day.
This information is collected for the following purpose:
Administration of the ceremony
We need your personal information to ensure that your name and course are recorded correctly
Organising special requirements for attendees
We ask graduands to tell us about any disabilities and medical needs of themselves and their guests in order to provide reasonable adjustments.
To provide a commemorative graduation brochure
The University includes the names of each graduand and course completed in its commemorative brochure which is available on the day of the ceremony for the whole congregation. Similarly the name of all those graduating appears on merchandise. The University has traditionally published this programme and produced merchandise as a commemoration of the day and a celebration of achievement for the individuals and it is considered that inclusion of the individuals name on the brochure and merchandise enhances the graduation experience. No information on the award attained is included and it is not considered that the inclusion of names of graduands will result in any unwarranted harm or distress.
Brochures and merchandise are produced 4 weeks in advance of the ceremony; if you do not wish for details (name and course) to be included in brochures/merchandise please contact us using this form.
As part of the live broadcasting link available on the internet
Ceremonies are broadcast simultaneously on the internet to allow those not able to attend to view the proceedings. The ceremony will also be available via social media platforms.
The University appreciates that it is not possible for all family and friends to attend and by streaming the event on the University’s web it enables others to see the ceremony. Individuals are advised in communication relating to the event that the ceremony will be available online. It is considered that filming the ceremony enhances the experience for graduands, their family and friends and the University.
Providing an alumni service
When you complete and pass your course, you automatically become a USW alumnus and will be provided with information about the University’s Alumni Network and the benefits associated with being a member. We will use information about you to offer you an alumni network, providing you with information on regular news, events, updates, postgraduate study discount, graduate career support and further opportunities such as mentoring. Further information is available in the Alumni Privacy Notice. When you complete your graduation booking form, we will use the information on your form to update your contact details in our alumni system. .
Article 6(1)(a) and Article 9(2)(a), which allow us to process personal data where you provide your consent. If you provide information to us about any disabilities, medical needs or other health data to request any special arrangements during the ceremony, you are consenting to us using that information to make reasonable adjustments. If you are a graduand you must ensure you have the consent of your guests to provide any similar information relating to them.
Article 6(1)(c), Once we have taken action to make any reasonable adjustments, we will rely on Article 6(1)(c), Article 9(2)(g) UK GDPR and Schedule 1(6) DPA to retain information to demonstrate how we have acted on your request, to comply with equality legislation. which allows us to process personal data when it is necessary to comply with a legal obligation. We are legally required to process some information for the purposes of complying with equality and health and safety laws.
Article 6(1)(f), which allows us to process personal data where it is in our, or someone else’s, legitimate interests to do so and it does not unduly prejudice your rights and freedoms.
We rely on this condition to, among other things:
Administer, record and publish the ceremonies. It is in our and our students’ and graduands’ interests to offer and run graduation ceremonies to celebrate our graduates’ successes.
Deliver some services and facilities to you such as part of the Alumni community, and ensure the Alumni Team holds up-to-date contact details for graduates. It is in the interests of you, our graduate, to have access to all the advice, services and networks provided by our Alumni Team to help you plan for your future, and to be provided with other beneficial services as part of your University experience.
Personal information will be processed by staff within the University of South Wales for the graduation ceremony purpose. Your name and course will be sent to a merchandise company for printing purposes. Your data will only be disclosed externally if another lawful basis applies.
We do not currently transfer your information to any third country. In the event that future processing activity is transferred outside of the UK or Europe, the University will ensure that any processors provide a similar degree of protection to personal data by ensuring that the following safeguards are in place:
-We will only transfer your personal data to countries that have been deemed to have an adequate level of protection for personal data by the UK or where appropriate safeguards are in place (Transfer Risk Assessment and Standard Contractual Clauses or International Data Transfer Agreement)
-Where there is a legally binding agreement in place.
We will never transfer your data to any country where there is deemed to be a high risk to your privacy.
Personal data is held in accordance with our Retention Policy.
Individuals who are unhappy with the way in which their personal data has been processed may, in the first instance, contact the University’s Data Protection Officer using the contact details below. Where individuals remain dissatisfied then they have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Information Commissioners Office,
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire,
SK9 5AF
www.ico.org.uk
The University of South Wales has a Data Protection Officer who can be contacted on [email protected].
Individuals have the right to access, to object to the processing, to rectify, to erase, to restrict and to port personal information. Further information is available on the University Data Protection webpages in relation to individual rights.
Any requests or objections should be made in writing to the University Data Protection Officer:-
University Secretarys Office,
University of South Wales
Pontypridd,
CF37 1DL
Email: [email protected]
Data Protection legislation requires the University to keep personal information secure. This means that 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 information will be authorised to do so. Information held in electronic form will be subject to password protection and other technical security restrictions, while paper files will be stored in secure areas with controlled access.
Some processing may be undertaken on the University’s behalf by an organisation contracted for that purpose. Organisations processing personal data on the University’s behalf will be bound by an obligation to process personal data in accordance with Data Protection legislation
Version
Changes made
Date
Made by
2.0
Revised
16/3/23
Eloise Rosser