Research privacy notice

Research privacy notice

In order to undertake academic research and to train students in research methods, staff and students at the University of Derby collect and process various types of personal data. The University is committed to being transparent about how it collects and uses that data and to meeting its data protection obligations.

What information does the University collect?

The University collects a range of information in order to carry out its research activities. This may include personal details such as name and address; information on your views on specific research topics; biological information and/or samples or data sets relating to genetic sequencing.

The University collects this information in a variety of ways. For example, data might be collected via surveys or questionnaires, through interviews or focus groups, or by taking photographs, audio or video recordings.

For each individual research project, you will be provided with a participant information sheet, which explains in more detail the kind of information that will be collected, and how this will be done.

Why do we collect your data?

Undertaking research, publishing research and training students to undertake research are tasks that are in the public interest. Universities undertake these activities so that they can fulfil their function as a Higher Education Institution. Some types of research will require the collection of personal data in order that the aims of the research can be achieved. The University will only collect the information that is necessary to undertake each specific research project.

How and where your data is held

All research projects involving the collection of personal data undergo ethics review, to ensure that appropriate arrangements are made for the secure storage of your data. If you take part in a research project, you will be provided with a participant information sheet that will outline in more detail how and where your data are stored.

Who has access to data?

Your data will be accessed by members of the research team (including supervisors of student projects). If it is necessary for anyone else to have access to the data, or for the data to be shared more widely, this will be made clear in the participant information sheet that will be provided to you before you agree to participate in the research.

How does the University protect data?

The University takes the security of your data seriously. It has 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.

How long will we keep your data for?

Data relating to staff research projects will normally be kept for ten years but could be retained for longer (for example if there was a specific requirement from a research funder).  For student research projects, data will normally be kept until after the student’s award has been conferred.

Data Controller

The Data Controller is the University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby. If you would like information about how the university uses your personal data, please email us at gdpr@derby.ac.uk

Data Protection Officer

The Data Protection Officer is responsible for advising the University on compliance with Data Protection legislation and monitoring its performance against it. You can contact our Data Protection Officer at dpo@derby.ac.uk.

Changes to this notice

We keep our privacy notices under regular review. This privacy notice was last updated in Nov 2018.