This Privacy Notice describes how Colchester Institute (and its subsidiary and related companies*) protects and makes use of the information you provide us with.
*The Privacy Notice relates to Colchester Institute Corporation, Colchester Institute Enterprises Limited, and Colchester Institute Foundation Trust
About this document
This privacy notice explains how Colchester Institute (“we”, “our”, “us”) collects, uses and shares your personal data, and your rights in relation to the personal data we hold. This privacy notice concerns our processing of personal data of past, present and prospective students of Colchester Institute (“you”, “your”)
Colchester Institute is the data controller of your personal data and is subject to Data Protection Law. This includes the Data Protection Act 2018 (“DPA”) and any successor Data Protection Legislation under which the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) has been incorporated.
Who does this apply to?
People who use or may use our services. This includes for example:
- visitors to our website
- individuals who study a course with us
- employers who purchase training from us
- employers who take a student on work experience or placement
- employers who employ an Apprentice
- individuals who are customers of the College’s commercial operations
- individuals who request information from us.
If you are asked to provide information to us, it will only be used in the ways described in this Privacy Notice. This Privacy Notice is updated from time-to-time. The latest version is published on our website.
If you have any questions about this policy, please e-mail gary.horne@colchester.ac.uk or write to him at Gary Horne, Executive Vice Principal, Colchester Institute, Sheepen Road, Colchester, Essex CO3 3LL
How we collect your information
We may collect your personal data in a number of ways, for example:
- from the information you provide to us when you interact with us before joining, for example when you express your interest in studying at Colchester Institute;
- when you apply to study at Colchester Institute and complete enrolment forms via the admissions processes and procedures and\or the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and;
- when you communicate with us by telephone, email or via our website or social media, for example in order to make enquiries or raise concerns;
- in various other ways as you interact with us during your time as a student of Colchester Institute, for the various purposes set out below;
- from third parties, for example from your previous or current school, sixth form college, FE college or university or employers who may provide a reference about you or who may sponsor your studies
The types of information we collect
We may collect the following types of personal data about you:
- your name, and contact information such as address, email address and telephone number, as well as your date of birth, national insurance number (or other tax identification number) and your passport number or national identity card details, country of domicile and your nationality. We will also allocate you a unique student number;
- financial information i.e. bank details
- company information e.g. financial, staff, training needs analysis
- website usage data
- information relating to your education and employment history, the school(s), sixth form college(s) and other colleges or universities you have attended and places where you have worked, the courses you have completed, dates of study and examination results. We will also keep records relating to assessments of your work, details of examinations taken, your predicted and actual examination grades and other information in your student record;
- information about your family or personal circumstances, and both academic and extracurricular interests, for example where this is relevant to the assessment of your suitability to receive a bursary or in order to provide you with appropriate pastoral care;
- location information – We may collect and process information that may reveal your location. We use various technologies to determine location including CCTV, GPS, building access control, attendance registers and device identifiers such as IP, MAC address and computer name.
- sensitive personal data and information about criminal convictions and offences, including:
- information concerning your health and medical conditions (e.g. disability and dietary needs);
- certain criminal convictions (e.g. for students on nursing programs, following completion of an annual declaration of “good character”); and
- information about your sex, disability, racial or ethnic origin; religion or similar beliefs; and sexual orientation.
How we use that information
Collecting this data helps us provide you with a service which meets your needs.
Specifically, we may use data:
- to meet our legal and statutory duties and responsibilities
- to process applications, enrolments and workforce development programmes and contracts
- for our own internal records so that we can provide you with a high quality service
- to contact you in response to a specific enquiry
- to customise our services so they work better for you
- to contact you about services, products, offers and other things provided by us which we think may be relevant to you
- to contact you via e-mail telephone or mail for research purposes
- to be shared with other organisations for education, training, employment and well-being related purposes, including for research
- to register your learning with an awarding body for the purposes of learning, assessment and certification
- we may use location data to track classroom and exam attendance, building security and IT security. We also use your location data to provide a convenient way to locate your colleagues. Such as revealing what campus a staff member is working from in Skype for Business. In certain situations we may use the GPS of College assets to reveal is location in the event of theft.
At no time will we assume your permission to use information that you provide for anything other than the reasons stated here.
How we use information about our students
The purposes for which we may use personal data (including sensitive personal data) we collect during a student’s association with us include:
- recruitment and admissions;
- academic matters, including:
- the provision of our core teaching and learning services (e.g. registration, assessment, attendance, managing progress, academic misconduct investigations, certification, graduation);
- maintaining student records;
- assessing your eligibility for bursaries and scholarships, etc.
- providing library, IT and information services;
- non-academic matters in support of our core services, including: o providing student support services (e.g. through Additional Learning Support, academic departments);
- monitoring equal opportunities;
- safeguarding and promoting the welfare of students;
- ensuring students’ safety and security;
- managing student accommodation;
- managing the use of social media;
- managing car parking on campus;
- administering finance (e.g. fees, scholarships and bursaries);
- other administrative purposes, including: carrying out research and statistical analysis;
- carrying out audits (e.g. to ensure compliance with our regulatory and legal obligations);
- providing operational information (e.g. providing IT support, information about building closures or access restrictions on campus, or safety advice);
- promoting our services (e.g. providing information about summer schools or other events happening on and off campus);
- preventing and detecting crime;
- dealing with grievances and disciplinary actions;
- dealing with complaints and enquiries.
Graduation and degree information
Personal data (including award and classification) will be published in the award ceremony booklet. This information will also be passed to third parties involved in the ceremonies (including our local paper and commemorative clothing suppliers). All published details will be available following the relevant graduation events.
You may withhold your consent to your name being published for these purposes when you register online to attend the award ceremony or graduate in absentia.
All award ceremonies may be recorded and, if so, will be available to view online afterwards.
Security
We will hold your information securely.
To prevent unauthorised disclosure or access to your information, we have implemented strong organisational and technical security safeguards.
If information is shared with another organisation (reasons for this are given in the section below) we will ensure an Information Sharing Agreement is in place.
We also follow stringent procedures to ensure we work with all personal data in line with the Data Protection Law.
The lawful basis for processing your information and how we use it
We may process your personal data because it is necessary for the legitimate performance of a contract with you (or a third party) or in order to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract. In this respect, we use your personal data for the following:
- to interact with you before you are enrolled as a student, as part of the admissions process (e.g. to send you a prospectus or answer enquiries about our courses);
- once you have enrolled, to provide you with the services as set out in our learning or student agreement;
- to deal with any concerns or feedback you may have;
- for any other purpose for which you provide us with your personal data.
We may also process your personal data because it is necessary for the performance of our tasks carried out in the public interest or because it is necessary for our or a third party’s legitimate interests. In this respect, we may use your personal data for the following:
- to provide you with educational services which may not be set out in our learning or student agreement but which are nevertheless a part of our academic and educational mission;
- to monitor and evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the organisation, including by training our staff or monitoring their performance;
- to maintain and improve the academic, corporate, financial, estate and human resource management of the College;
- to promote equality and diversity throughout the College;
- to seek advice on our rights and obligations, such as where we require our own legal advice;
- recovering money owed to us;
- for fundraising purposes.
We may also process your personal data for our compliance with our legal obligations. In this respect, we may use your personal data for the following:
- to meet our compliance and regulatory obligations, such as compliance with anti-money laundering laws and safeguarding requirements;
- for the prevention and detection of crime;
- in order to assist with investigations (including criminal investigations) carried out by the police and other competent authorities
We may also process your personal data where:
- it is necessary for medical purposes (e.g. medical diagnosis, provision of health or social care or treatment, or a contract with a health professional);
- it is necessary to protect your or another person’s vital interests; or
- we have your specific or, where necessary, explicit consent to do so.
Sharing information with others
We do not sell or rent your personal information.
Your information may by necessity be disclosed to appropriate staff members of Colchester Institute and to government bodies to fulfil our statutory responsibilities such as the Education and Skills Funding Agency, the Office for Students, Ofsted, Essex County Council, or with local partners such as Department for Work and Pensions.
We may need to share your information with other organisations and we will take steps to ensure that these organisations operate within the requirements of Data Protection Law. This includes the following organisations who in some circumstances may act as data processor on our behalf:
- our employees, agents and contractors where there is a legitimate reason for their receiving the information, including: third parties who work with us (for example to provide student accommodation or security services);
- third parties who work with us to provide student support services (e.g. counselling);
- third parties who deliver training services on our behalf (e.g. subcontractor training organisations)
- organisations operating anti-plagiarism software on our behalf
- internal and external auditors.
- those with an interest in tracking student progress and attendance, including: student sponsors (e.g. the Student Loan Company); current or potential education providers (for example, where you take part in an exchange programme as part of your course or withdraw from a course with us a start with another provider); current or potential employers (to provide references and, where students are sponsored by their employer and/or where you take part in a placement, to provide details of progress/attendance);
- professional and regulatory bodies (e.g. Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) in relation to the confirmation of qualifications, professional registration and conduct and the accreditation of courses;
- government departments and agencies where we have a statutory obligation to provide information (e.g. the Office for Students, the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), the Home Office (in connection with UK visas and immigration), Council Tax and Electoral Registration Officers at relevant local authorities (for the purpose of assessing liability for Council Tax and for electoral registration purposes));
- Colchester Institute International Admissions team (so they can contact you to offer a pre-sessional or preparatory course relevant to your application to us);
- crime prevention or detection agencies (e.g. the police, the Department for Work and Pensions and Trading Standards);
- next-of-kin (where there is a legitimate reason for disclosure);
Information may be shared with third parties if it is in connection with the service we are providing to you, for example we might share information with market research companies contracted to undertake work on our behalf to assess your satisfaction with our service. When we do this will ensure there is an Information Sharing Agreement in place.
We will only share your personal information with other people e.g. parents or carers, or with agencies such as the Benefits Department with your permission.
If, as part of the entry requirements for your course or if you are applying for a job with us, we need to take up a reference or obtain ‘disclosure’ from the Disclosure and Barring Service, we will inform you beforehand.
Any personal information we hold about you is processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018.
For the purposes referred to in this privacy notice and relying on the bases for processing as set out above, we may share your personal data with certain third parties. You are given the opportunity not to opt in to of some of these data sharing arrangements, but you should carefully consider the possible impact of doing this.
Website Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions
Your privacy – the use of personal information
When supplying information you are consenting to the College holding this data in order to process your request and for our own research.
The information may be used by the College to monitor student interest in the courses offered, attainment and retention levels.
Data Protection Act 2018
All personal information is held by Colchester Institute in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and any successor legislation and is kept for as long as is necessary to fulfil your request or process your enquiry or application.
Keeping your information safe
All personal data collected from users completing an online form on this website will be treated as confidential and will not be passed on to any third party for marketing purposes.
Collection of personal information
The Colchester Institute website collects only personal information provided to us by visitors through submitting a web form. This information usually consists of, but is not limited to, name, personal or company address and contact details.
Web forms on our website are used for reasons such as allowing visitors to:
- Request specific materials such as a prospectus or guide
- Submit an enquiry form
- Register to attend a Colchester Institute or University Centre Colchester Open event
- Register to receive email communications in the form of newsletters or updates on new courses/services
The information required is necessary for us to be able to deal with your enquiry, but on occasions there might be additional information that we may request in order to help us to provide the most appropriate response.
Sensitive information is only sought through a form on the website if it is required or necessary as part of a process. Sensitive personal data means personal data consisting of information as to race or ethnic origin; political opinions; religious or other similar beliefs; trade union membership; physical or mental health; sexual life or criminal record.
Where sensitive information is provided this will be accepted as explicit consent for the College to use the information in connection with the purpose for which it has been provided.
Sensitive personal data is collected by certain web forms on our website in order to allow visitors to:
- Provide information about a disability or disabled access requirements
- Provide information about physical or mental health in order to submit a Colchester Institute Counselling Service Self-Referral form
- State possession of a Criminal conviction, but not the nature of the conviction or any further details related to the conviction, as part of the application form for Full-Time English Language Courses for international and overseas students
How we use your data
When users of our site send us personal information, such as their email address, Colchester Institute will only use the information in order to resolve and reply to your enquiry and shape and improve the services we offer. As part of this process, submitted information may be used for statistical analysis in order to improve our web services.
Where users have submitted a web form registering an interest in a course or service, it may be necessary for the College to add your email address to a mailing list in order to notify you of information relating to the enquiry. All emails you receive from us will offer the option to unsubscribe from the mailing list.
About our Website
The website contains information about the services and courses offered by Colchester Institute, University Centre Colchester, CI Business Solutions and the Minories Galleries.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this website but Colchester Institute cannot accept any responsibility for errors or omissions in website content, or for any consequences that arise from the use of information contained within the website. Colchester Institute also reserves the right to update our terms and conditions and privacy policy without notice.
The College reserves the right to update and amend information as and when necessary. Colchester Institute will do its best to provide the courses shown, but may have to modify or withdraw a course depending on customer demand and other factors
Course information describes programmes offered by Colchester Institute, University Centre Colchester at Colchester Institute, CI Business Solutions and the Minories Galleries. The College takes all reasonable steps to provide courses as described, but cannot guarantee provision. The information is for guidance and does not form any part of a contract. Colchester Institute reserves the right to introduce changes to the information given, including the addition of new courses or withdrawal, relocation or restructuring of courses listed on the website at any given time.
Changes to web content
On occasion it is necessary for us to make changes to website content. This might include changes to information about courses, campuses, services to the public, facilities or course fees due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory or academic reasons.
Examples of why we may need to make changes to content include:
- changes to the law or regulatory requirements
- industrial action
- departure of key personnel
- changes in government policy
Fees are correct at the time of entering/printing information, but may be subject to change. The College cannot accept legal or financial liability as a result of any such changes.
Changes to courses may include:
- variations to the content/modules and delivery method for course programmes
- the cancellation, removal or discontinuation of course programmes due to lack of demand, obsolescence or changes to curriculum
- the merger or combining of programmes or courses
- the withdrawal or reduction of funding
Reporting Errors
The College cannot guarantee that the use of this website will be uninterrupted or error free. If you do encounter problems please report them by contacting our Web Team.
Viruses
Although every effort is made ensure that this website is virus free, it is the responsibility of the end user to check for viruses before downloading any content.
Third party Websites
Colchester Institute cannot accept responsibility for the content of third party websites which we have linked to; these links are provided solely for your convenience.
Copyright
This website and its contents (design, images, text, etc) are the property of Colchester Institute unless stated otherwise. You may not download, retain or copy website content other than for personal, non-commercial use.
Although Colchester Institute takes all reasonable steps to ensure that the content on this website is accurate it is for guidance only and does not form any part of any contract. It is the responsibility of the user to check the accuracy of relevant information before entering into any type of commitment.
Statistical Data Collection
The College collects statistical data about visitors to this site which is used to monitor web page popularity and the overall effectiveness of the website; this sometimes involves placing small amounts of information on your device (computer, mobile phone, etc.). These include small files known as cookies.
We also do this for security and in order to detect and prevent abuse. The data collected includes information on browser type, operating system, page visits, geographic data and clicks through to other websites.
This data is totally anonymous and cannot be traced to an individual in any way by us. Data collected is only used to help us understand how the website is used so that we can improve how our website works and its user experience. The information collected does not contain any personal information and will not identify individual users.
The software we use to collect statistical data is Google Analytics, you can read more about how Google uses the data it collects or download the ‘Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on’ to control data collection. The anonymous data is stored safely and securely, is only available to Colchester Institute and will only be viewed by us or our approved website developers when required.
Colchester Institute uses cookies with Google to show adverts on sites on the internet, based upon your previous interactions with the College’s website. To opt out of customized Google Display Network ads, please click here.
To find out more about how Google uses any data it collects please visit //www.google.com/privacy_ads.html. Any information collected is used only for remarketing purposes and will not be used for any other purpose.
What Are Cookies
This website uses cookies, which are tiny files that are downloaded to your computer, to improve your experience. This page describes what information they gather, how we use it and why we sometimes need to store these cookies. We will also share how you can prevent these cookies from being stored however this may downgrade or ‘break’ certain elements of the sites functionality.
For more general information on cookies see Information Commissioner’s Office page at: ico.org.uk/for-the-public/online/cookies/
How We Use Cookies
We use cookies for the reasons detailed below. Unfortunately in most cases there are no industry standard options for disabling cookies without completely disabling the functionality and features they add to this site. It is recommended that you leave on all cookies if you are not sure whether you need them or not in case they are used to provide a service that you use.
Disabling Cookies
You can prevent the setting of cookies by adjusting the settings on your browser (see your browser Help for how to do this). Be aware that disabling cookies will affect the functionality of this and many other websites that you visit. Disabling cookies will usually result in also disabling certain functionality and features of this site. Therefore it is recommended that you do not disable cookies
The Cookies We Set
| Cookies Name(s) | Description | |
| WordPress | Session PHPSESSID wordpress_test_cookie wp-<name of setting> wordpress_logged_in_<unique id> wordpress_sec_<unique id> | We use WordPress as our content management system which uses cookies for authentication. That means that in order to log in to your website, you must have cookies enabled in your browser. Information about the cookies wordpress sets can be found at: codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Cookies |
| Jetpack | comment_author_ comment_author_email_ comment_author_url_ akm_mobile jetpack_comments_subscribe_ jetpack_blog_subscribe_ jetpackstate jpp_math_pass jetpack_sso_redirect_to jetpack_sso_remember_me stnojs | Jetpack extend wordpress features which we have turned on. The cookies are only set when a user interacts with one of these. Information about the cookies used by Jetpack can be found at: jetpack.com/support/cookies/ |
| Cookie Notice | cookie_notice_accepted | A cookie to hide the the cookie notice notifcation after accepting it. |
| Timely’s WordPress Core Calendar | ai1ec_<setting> | Cookies are only set when a user interacts with the event calendar settings. |
| Ninja Forms | NF_WP_<setting> | Cookies are only set when a user interacts with one of our contact forms. |
Third Party Cookies
| Cookies Name(s) | Description | |
| Google Analytics | _ga _gid _gat AMP_TOKEN _gac_<property-id> __utma __utmt __utmb __utmc __utmz __utmv __utmx __utmxx _gaexp | Google Analytics is a simple, easy-to-use tool that helps website owners measure how users interact with website content. As a user navigates between web pages, Google Analytics provides website owners information about the page a user has seen, for example the URL of the page. The Google Analytics JavaScript libraries use HTTP Cookies to “remember” what a user has done on previous pages / interactions with the website. If you want to opt out, download and install the add-on for your web browser: tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/ Cookies expire after 2 years. More infomation about the cookies set by Google Analytics can be found at: developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/analyticsjs/cookie-usage |
| DoubleClick Google AdWords Google AdSense | test_cookie IDE __gads _gali | The Google AdSense service we use to serve our advertising on other websites and Google uses a DoubleClick cookie to limit the number of times that a given ad is shown to you. Cookies expire after 2 years. More information about the cookies and how to opt-out can be found at: https://support.google.com/adsense?source=404#topic=3373519 |
| Google Google Cloud Google Maps | NID | The NID cookie contains a unique ID which Google sets to remember your preferences and other information on Google websites/services. This can used to personalise how you view Google Maps and other Google services that we use on our website. More information can be found at: www.google.com/policies/technologies/types/ |
| Duo | duo_wordpress_auth_cookie duo_secure_wordpress_auth_cookie | Duo is a third party two-factor authentication that we used for access to the website control panel. |
Controlling Information About You
When you fill in a form or provide your details on our website, you may see one or more tick boxes allowing you to:
- opt in to receive marketing communications from us by e-mail, telephone, text message or post
- opt in to receive marketing from our sponsors, third party partners by e-mail telephone, text message or post.
If you have agreed that we can use your information for marketing purposes, you can change your mind easily, via one of these methods:
- send an e-mail to marketing@colchester.ac.uk
- write to us – Marketing Manager, Colchester Institute, Sheepen Road, Colchester, Essex CO3 3LL
We will not lease, distribute or sell your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or the law requires us to.
Links From Our Site
Our website may contain links to other websites. Please note that we have no control of websites outside of www.gateshead.ac.uk. If you provide information to a website to which we link, we are not responsible for its protection and privacy. You are advised to read the privacy policy or statement of other websites prior to using them.
People who use our services
We hold the details you provide us with in order to deliver programmes of study, Apprenticeships, workforce development programmes and other services which meet your specific needs.
We only use these details to provide the service you have requested and for other closely related purposes. For example, we might use information about people who have enquired about a course to carry out a survey to find out if they are happy with the level of service they have received or we might use information about an employer offering a student work experience to contact them about a new Apprenticeship scheme or grant.
You are able to request that we stop contacting you at any time.
Information may by necessity be disclosed to appropriate staff members of Colchester Institute and to government bodies (to fulfil our statutory responsibilities) such as the Skills Funding Agency, the Education Funding Agency, Ofsted, the Department for Education and auditors or to local partners
If, as part of the entry requirements for your course, we need to take up a reference or obtain ‘disclosure’ from the Disclosure and Barring Service, we will inform you beforehand.
Any personal information we hold about you is processed in accordance with Data Protection Law.
People who use our commercial services
If you are a customer of a commercial operations of the College eg CH&FS Restaurants, Salons, Refectories and Minories Galleries, the information you provide us to enable us to deliver that service will only be held and used for that purpose or for other closely related purposes eg we might use information about people who use the Hair Salons to send out offers about the Beauty Therapy Services.
People who request information from us
If you request information from us by letter, telephone, email, submitting an enquiry card or from a sales appointment, we will make a record of that enquiry and will use the information you give us to provide you with a response. We will only use the information for these purposes and to provide a follow up service to ensure that we provided you with what you asked for.
You are able to request that we stop contacting you at any time.
Any emails sent to us, including attachments, may be monitored. Please be aware that you have a responsibility to ensure that any email you send us is in the bounds of the law.
Students’ Union
We share some of the information we hold about you (including your name, date of birth, nationality, student email address and programme of study) with the Students’ Union at Colchester Institute unless you notify us that you wish to opt out of student union membership.
The Student Union use this information to administer membership of the Students’ Union. The Student Union may also send some of the student data we provide to the National Union of Students (“NUS”) .
The Student Union and the NUS will give students the chance to opt out of various categories of processing when they register with the Student Union
HESA.
We will send some of the student information we hold to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (“HESA”). HESA collects and is responsible for the database in which HESA student records are stored. Details of how HESA will process this information can be found at: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/about/regulation/data-protection/notices.
National Student Survey and Leaver Surveys
We may pass student contact details to survey contractors to carry out the National Student Survey and surveys of student finances for the organisations identified by HESA in their data protection notices referred to above. These organisations and their contractors will use student’s details only for this purpose, and will then delete them.
About six months after graduation, we will contact each student to ask him or her to fill in the HESA “Destination of Leavers from HE” questionnaire. Students may also be contacted as part of an audit to check that we have undertaken this survey properly. We will not give your contact details to HESA.
Students may also be included in surveys that track the progress of leavers in the years after they graduate. If so, we will pass your contact details to the organisation that has been contracted to carry out that survey. The organisation will use your details only for that purpose and will then delete them.
If you do not want to take part in any of these surveys, please let us know.
Changes to your personal data
Please tell us promptly about any changes to the information we hold about you. This is particularly important for your contact details.
How long your information is kept
Data will be retained under an Information Asset Register schedule of approved retention periods. Subject to any other notices that we may provide to you, we may retain your personal data for a period of ten years after your association with us has come to an end. This may be longer in the case of European Social Fund programmes and in some cases, some information may be retained indefinitely by us in order to maintain your academic record for archiving purposes (or by the Marketing team for the purposes of supporting your lifelong relationship with Colchester Institute).
Your rights
Under Data Protection Law you have the following rights:
- to obtain access to, and copies of, the personal data that we hold about you;
- to require that we cease processing your personal data if the processing is causing you damage or distress;
- to require us not to send you marketing communications.
- to require us to correct the personal data we hold about you if it is incorrect;
- to require us to erase your personal data;
- to require us to restrict our data processing activities (and, where our processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent, without affecting the lawfulness of our processing based on consent before its withdrawal);
- to receive from us the personal data we hold about you which you have provided to us, in a reasonable format specified by you, including for the purpose of you transmitting that personal data to another data controller;
- to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to any of our particular processing activities where you feel this has a disproportionate impact on your rights.
Accessing Your Own Personal Information
You have the right to ask for a copy of any of your personal information held by Colchester Institute. You can make a ‘subject access request’ under the Data Protection Act 2018.
To make a request contact one of the College’s data controllers:
Student Records
Mrs J Cox, Director of Funding and Information
Email: julie.cox@colchester.ac.uk
Post: Colchester Institute, Sheepen Road, Colchester, Essex CO3 3LL
Employee Records
Mrs J Dickman, Human Resources Manager
Email: joanne.dickman@colchester.ac.uk
Post: Colchester Institute, Sheepen Road, Colchester, Essex CO3 3LL
Complaints or Queries
If you have any questions about our collection and use of personal data please contact us. We are happy to provide additional information if it is required.
Changes to This Privacy Notice
We will keep this Privacy Notice under regular review and reserve the right to change it as necessary from time-to-time or if required by law. Any changes will be immediately posted on the website.
Data Protection Officer
Mrs H Paton
Email: hazel.paton@colchester.ac.uk
or
Email: DPO@colchester.ac.uk
Post: Colchester Institute, Sheepen Road, Colchester, Essex CO3 3LL
Email Confidentiality
This e-mail and its attachments are intended for the above named only and may be confidential. If they have come to you in error you must take no action based on them, nor must you copy or show them to anyone; please reply to this e-mail and highlight the error.
Security Warning
Please note that this e-mail has been created in the knowledge that Internet e-mail is not a 100% secure communications medium. We advise that you understand and observe this lack of security when e-mailing us.
Viruses
Although we have taken steps to ensure that this e-mail and attachments are free from any virus, we advise that in keeping with good computing practice the recipient should ensure they are actually virus free. Any views expressed in this e-mail message are those of the individual and not necessarily those of the company or any of its subsidiaries.
1. Policy Statement
Colchester Institute aims to provide a welcoming environment in which all learners and employees are encouraged to realise their full potential, where every individual is valued and offered equal opportunity to progress.
To this end, the College aims to ensure that all actual or potential learners and employees are treated in an equivalent fashion, regardless of: age, disability; family responsibility, marital status, race, colour, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, trade union activity, and any other irrelevant criteria.
2. Key principles
- The College believes that all forms of prejudice and discrimination* are unacceptable. In recognition of the fact that they can take a variety of forms, depending on the group against whom they are directed, the College will adapt/develop policies embodying the issues specific to discrimination on the grounds of the following protected characteristics:
– Age
– Disability
– Gender
– Race
– Religion or Belief
– Sexual Orientation
– Gender Reassignment
– Pregnancy and Maternity
– Marriage and Civil Partnership - The College will seek to challenge inequality, prejudice and discrimination.
- The College will seek to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
- The College embraces diversity in all its aspects, and aims to have a workforce, governing body and learner population which reflects, at every level, the community it serves.
- The College will treat all employees and learners with respect and dignity, and seek to provide a working and learning environment free from harassment, discrimination and victimisation. The College will not tolerate any form of discriminatory behaviour against its employees and learners either from other employees, learners, or members of the public and will work to eliminate bullying and harassment in all its forms. Prompt and considerate action will be taken to investigate incidents of bullying and harassment.
- In seeking to achieve a balanced workforce and learner population at all levels, the College will ensure that no employee, learner, job applicant or candidate for promotion will be disadvantaged, or treated less favourably because of conditions or requirements that are not related to the job or programme of learning. Reasonable adjustments will be made to arrangements and premises to ensure equal access for people with disabilities.
- In order to ensure that all staff and learners and potential staff and learners are treated with equality and fairness at all stages of employment and the learning programme, and that their treatment is based solely on objective and job/programme of learning related criteria, the College will ensure that equality issues are embedded into all its policies and procedures.
- The College will seek to actively promote equality and diversity throughout the College. For learners we will ensure it is adequately covered within student induction, the group tutorial process and embedded fully into the curriculum.
- The College will establish links and contacts with local community groups and other relevant organisations, which will include the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) community sector, working in partnership, where appropriate, to encourage and facilitate access to education, training and employment.
3. Structures
- The Vice Principal for Quality and Support will have delegated responsibility for equality issues. The designated person will ensure that regular reports are made to the Corporation. The Learner Services and Equality Manager will have the remit to promote Equality and Diversity across the College and support teams and individuals.
- The embedding of Equality and Diversity in the Curriculum will be reviewed and monitored through Teaching and Learning Observations, and through other Quality processes, including Boards of Study the Self-Assessment Review.
- A standing agenda item to discuss issues relation to Equality and Diversity will be included in College meetings.
4. Monitoring
- The College undertakes to conduct comprehensive and effective monitoring of all aspects of staffing and the learner population.
- The College is committed to the collection of statistics, analysis of data and presentation of data, as well as monitoring on an ongoing basis and as policies and practices change. Equality and Diversity will also be monitored as part of the Course Review and Self Assessment Review processes.
- The main forms of monitoring used by the College will be the composition of the existing workforce, governing body and learner population, the recruitment processes, learner retention and achievement with particular reference to ethnicity, age, disability and gender.
- Action plans will be drawn up to address any imbalances and in particular to narrow any identified achievement gaps between groups of learners identified as a result of monitoring and reviewing this data.
- An annual Equality and Diversity report will be produced to summarise all monitoring data, analysis of feedback including any complaints and the annual review of the Equality Objectives.
5. Positive action
The College undertakes to follow positive action measures allowed by law to rectify disadvantages in employment and learning revealed by monitoring.
In particular to promote equality as detailed in the College’s Equality Objectives.
6. Training
Equality and diversity training will be provided to all staff as part of the induction process, including mandatory completion of the on-line Equality and Diversity Essentials modules. Specific training will also be provided for throughout the year on different aspects of equality and diversity as appropriate.
A review of Equality and Diversity related training, including attendance will form part of the annual Equality and Diversity Report.
7. Raising concerns
- If an employee believes they have not been treated fairly within the scope of this policy they may raise the matter through the College’s Dealing with Bullying and Harassment at Work or Grievance Procedures.
- Similarly, if a learner believes they have not been treated fairly within the scope of this policy they may raise the matter through the College’s Dealing with Bullying and Harassment at College or Complaints Procedures.
8. Publicising the policy
The College’s commitment to equal opportunities and the Equality and Diversity policy will be communicated widely to employees, learners, work placement providers and the public at large through:
- College prospectuses and annual Equality and Diversity report
- employee and learner induction programmes
- copies available throughout the College, and visible on posters
- through the College web site and Portal
- copies of the policy provided to work based learning and work placement providers, with a requirement for them to adopt the Policy if they do not already have one in place.
9. Review
This policy will be reviewed on a regular basis in accordance with legislative developments and the need for good practice.
10. Supporting policies/procedures
- Dealing with Bullying and Harassment at Work
- Dealing with Bullying and Harassment at College
Recruitment Privacy Notice
As part of any recruitment process, Colchester Institute collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants. The organisation is committed to being transparent about how it collects and uses that data and to meeting its data protection obligations.
What information do we collect?
Colchester Institute collects a range of information about you.
This includes (but is not limited to):
- your name, address and contact details, including email address and telephone number;
- details of your qualifications, skills, experience and employment history;
- information about your current level of remuneration, including benefit entitlements;
- information regarding your criminal record, including enhanced criminal record certificate and whether you are barred from working in regulated activity:
- whether or not you have a disability for which the organisation needs to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process; and
- information about your right to work in the UK.
We collect personal data from you when you apply for a job with us. Personal data is data that relates to an identifiable living person (‘data subject’). Colchester Institute may collect this information in a variety of ways. For example, data might be contained in application forms, CVs, obtained from your passport or other identity documents, or collected through interviews or other forms of assessment.
We may also collect personal data about you from third parties, such as references supplied by former employers. We will seek information from third parties only once a job offer to you has been made and will inform you that we are doing so.
Data will be stored in a range of different places, including on your application record, in HR management systems and on other IT systems (including email).
How will we use the information about you?
We will hold your information safely and securely in line with the Data Protection Law including the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) (Regulation (EU) 2016/679), a new regulation which replaces the Data Protection Regulation (Directive 95/46/EC). The regulations came into effect on 25th May 2018.
We collect information about you to process your application, communicate with you during the recruitment process, invite you to interview and if successful, share with the relevant teams within our organisation to make all the arrangements prior to your start date.
Why does Colchester Institute process personal data?
We need to process data to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract with you. We may also need to process your data to enter into a contract with you.
In some cases, we need to process data to ensure that we are complying with our legal obligations, for example, it is mandatory to check a successful applicant’s identity and eligibility to work in the UK before employment starts and also to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Check (which includes barred list information, for those engaged in regulated activity).
Colchester Institute has a legitimate interest in processing personal data during the recruitment process and for keeping records of the process.
Processing data from job applicants allows us to manage the recruitment process, assess and confirm a candidate’s suitability for employment and decide to whom to offer a job.
We may also need to process data from job applicants to respond to and defend against legal claims.
Colchester Institute may process personal sensitive data, such as information about ethnic origin, sexual orientation or religion or belief, to monitor recruitment statistics. We may also collect information about whether or not applicants are disabled to make reasonable adjustments for candidates who have a disability. We process such information to carry out our obligations and exercise specific rights in relation to employment.
If your application is unsuccessful, Colchester Institute may keep your personal data on file in case there are future employment opportunities for which you may be suited. We will ask for your consent before we keep your data for this purpose and you are free to withdraw your consent at any time.
Who has access to data?
Your information may be shared internally for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes, but is not limited to, members of the Human Resources team, interviewers involved in the recruitment process, managers in the business area with a vacancy and IT staff if access to the data is necessary for the performance of their roles.
We will not share your data with third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. However, data will be shared with third parties prior to an offer of employment for candidates who, as part of the interview process, are requested to undertake psychometric testing.
Following an offer of employment, we will share your data with former employers to obtain references for you.
How does Colchester Institute protect data?
We take the security of your data seriously. We have internal policies and controls in place to ensure that your data is not lost, accidentally destroyed, misused or disclosed, and is not accessed except by our employees in the proper performance of their duties.
For how long does Colchester Institute keep data?
If your application for employment is unsuccessful, the organisation will delete/destroy all right to work, DBS Check documents and education/training certificates. We will hold all other recruitment data on file for 6 (six) months after the end of the relevant recruitment process, unless there is a specific business reason for the data to be retained for longer, such as responding to a complaint / court proceedings. At the end of that period, or unless you withdraw your consent for the data to be held, your data is deleted or destroyed.
If your application for employment is successful, personal data gathered during the recruitment process will be transferred to your Human Resources file (electronic and paper based) and retained during your employment. The periods for which your data will be held will be provided to you in a new privacy notice.
Your rights
As a data subject, you have a number of rights. You can:
- access and obtain a copy of your data on request;
- require the organisation to change incorrect or incomplete data;
- require the organisation to delete or stop processing your data, for example where the data is no longer necessary for the purposes of processing;
- object to the processing of your data where Colchester Institute is relying on its legitimate interests as the legal ground for processing;
- restrict the organisations processing of your personal data;
- request a copy of the personal information you have provided to the organisation and this can be transferred to someone else (if processing within the organisation is based on your consent or necessary to carry out the organisation’s contract with you, and is carried out by automated means); and
- complain to the Information Commissioner if you believe that the organisation has not complied with your GDPR rights – ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/
If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact jobline@colchester.ac.uk
What if you do not provide personal data?
You are under no statutory or contractual obligation to provide data to Colchester Institute during the recruitment process. However, if you do not provide the information, we may not be able to process your application properly or at all.
