Personal data means any information relating to a person who could be directly or indirectly identified by that information. This definition provides for a wide range of ways that a person may be identified by their data. This includes their name, identification number, location data or an online identifier. Some information is considered to be ‘Special Category’ information and needs more protection because of its sensitivity.
The University of Westminster is the Data Controller for the personal information held in relation to outreach activities. This privacy notice is in addition to the University’s privacy notice.
How we collect information
We collect your personal data via the administration of external and internal student surveys designed to collect feedback on our services and your experiences of being a student at Westminster.
We collect a range of information about you when you complete one of these surveys. Participation in our surveys is optional. Our key surveys are:
- Mid-Module Check-in survey
- Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES)
- Transformation in Students Survey (TiSS)
- Student Experience and Opinion Panel survey
The Student Experience and Opinion Panel is a community of Westminster students who engage in research activities to help improve the student experience, in exchange for a reward. Throughout the year, we ask panellists about their experiences and opinions on a range of improvements and developments and exciting topics at the University of Westminster, which are always focussed on the student experience. Panellists who take part in the research topics are rewarded for their time through cash, e-vouchers and points on their Employability Award.
Each survey above will have different participant information sheets and data requirements, but each will be covered under this privacy statement.
Other surveys are run by individual departments. These surveys generally relate to a course, course type or a specific cohort or demographic.
The following surveys are run by the University with other organisations or are a requirement for us to run under obligation from one of our regulators:
- Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Graduate outcomes survey
- Office for Students National Student Survey
- Office for Student’s Sexual Misconduct survey
- JISC digital insights
- International Perceptions and International Student Barometer (ISB)
Confidentiality
Information provided will only be shared with colleagues with a role in either designing and or conducting the survey or qualitative data gathering, analysing the results, and those taking decisions based on survey findings.
What information we collect and hold
The personal information collected includes:
- student ID
- name
- contact details (email and phone)
- financial and social economic data
- education and qualifications
- lifestyle and social circumstances
Some surveys ask for special category information to be provided, this may include, but is not limited to:
- gender, age (in some cases date of birth) and sex
- race and ethnicity
- disability information
- criminal convictions data
For more information about special category data, please refer to the Information Commissioners website.
How the personal information we hold is used
The information you give the University as a participant of a survey is used to:
- gather feedback on our services
- help us understand your views and priorities
- help us to improve our customer service processes
- help us to improve our online experience
- analyse student statistics
- to benchmark our performance against other providers
- to create aggregated and anonymous business intelligence reports
Our reasons for processing your personal data
We process your personal data for the following reasons:
- You have given your consent to participate in the survey or other research project.
- Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest.
- Processing is necessary for the legitimate purpose of improving our services.
Special category data is processed for the following reasons:
- Explicit consent
- For statistical and research purposes
Organisations we may share your information with in relation to this processing
We may share your information with the following organisations:
- Higher Education Statistics Agency
- Office for Students
- Students’ Union
- AdvanceHE (PTES)
- Ipsos Mori (NSS)
How we protect your information
The personal information we hold will be processed with appropriate security and used in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). Your information may be held outside of the UK. Where this is the case, we ensure that appropriate measures are in place to protect your data.
Our data retention policy
We will retain this information only for as long as necessary. We may retain aggregate and anonymise data for wider internal management reporting or research purposes. Personal data will be kept in line with the University’s retention schedule.
Disclosure of information to third parties
Personal information will not be disclosed to external organisations other than those acting on the instructions of the University. Where this is the case, a written contract will be put in place between the University and the third party setting out appropriate data protection obligations.
We use several commercial companies and partners to either store personal information or to manage it on our behalf. Where we have these arrangements, we ensure that there is a contract or data sharing agreement in place to ensure that the requirements of data protection legislation are met.
Sometimes we have a legal duty to disclose personal information. We may share your information:
- for the detection and prevention of crime and fraudulent activity
- if there are serious risks to the public, our staff or to other professionals
- to protect a child
- to protect adults who are thought to be at risk
Your rights
The law gives you several rights to control which personal information is used by us and how it is used by us.
How can you access the information we hold about you?
You are legally entitled to ask to see any records we hold about you. If you wish to request access to the personal information we hold about you, please contact the Information Compliance Team through the University’s subject access procedure.
How can you request the correction of inaccurate information?
Whilst we try to ensure that any personal data we hold about you is correct, there may be situations where the information we hold is no longer accurate. If this is the case, please contact the department holding the information so that any errors can be investigated and corrected. If you don’t know which department to contact, please contact the Information Compliance Team.
You can ask to delete information (right to be forgotten)
In some circumstances, you can ask for your personal information to be deleted, for example, in instances where:
- Your personal information is no longer needed for the reason why it was collected in the first place.
- You have removed your consent for us to use your information (where there is no other legal reason for us to use it).
- Deleting the information is a legal requirement.
Please note that there are situations where the right to be forgotten does not apply. Please contact the Information Compliance Team to make a request.
You can ask to limit what we use your data for
In some circumstances, you have the right to restrict what processing an organisation carries out or ask that they stop processing your personal data. When processing is restricted, the organisation may continue to store your data but not process it further. Please contact the Information Compliance Team to make a request.
You can ask to have your information moved to another provider (data portability)
You have the right to ask for your personal information to be given back to you or another service provider of your choice in a commonly used format. Please contact the Information Compliance Team to make a request.
You can object
You have the right to object to processing of your personal data at any time. This means that you can stop or prevent an organisation from using your data. However, it only applies in certain circumstances. Please contact the Information Compliance Team to make a request.
Automated decision making and profiling
You have a right to request that decisions based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which may produce a legal effect or affect them significantly, to have some form of human input so they are not automatically generated by a computer. Please contact the Information Compliance Team to make a request.
Right to complain
You have the right to complain about how we use your personal data. In the first instance, please contact the Information Compliance Team.
How to contact us
If you would like further information or if you have any concerns about how we handle your data, these can be raised with our Information Compliance Team by emailing [email protected] or writing to:
Information Compliance Team
University of Westminster
32–38 Wells Street
London
W1T 3UW
Independent advice
Independent advice can be sought from the UK regulator for data protection, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
T: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 if you prefer to use a national rate number.
Alternatively, visit the ICO website or email [email protected].
This privacy notice and updates
If you have any queries about this privacy notice or about how we hold and use your data, please contact the Information Compliance Team.
We will review and update this privacy notice to reflect changes in our processes and procedures. When such changes occur, we will revise the 'last updated' date on this notice. We encourage you to periodically review this notice to remain informed.
Last reviewed and updated: May 2025