Privacy Policy

Last updated: [DD Month YYYY]

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how the Central England NERC Training Alliance (“CENTA”, “we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use the CENTA website at https://centa.ac.uk (“Site”).
We are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our Site, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following information:

Information you provide directly:

  • Contact details (e.g., name, email address, phone number).

  • Application details if you apply for a studentship (e.g., CV, academic history, personal statement).

  • Information submitted via forms, surveys, or email correspondence.

Information we collect automatically:

  • IP address, browser type, and operating system.

  • Pages visited, time spent on the Site, and referring websites.

  • Cookies and similar technologies (see Section 7).

Information from third parties:

  • Data from partner universities or organisations if relevant to your application or participation in CENTA programmes.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

  • Provide and improve the Site’s functionality and user experience.

  • Process applications for studentships, training, and events.

  • Communicate with you in response to enquiries or submissions.

  • Send relevant updates or notifications (where you have consented).

  • Comply with legal obligations and protect our rights.

4. Legal Bases for Processing

We process your information under one or more of the following legal bases:

  • Consent – where you have given clear consent for us to process your data.

  • Contract – where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract (e.g., your studentship application).

  • Legal obligation – where processing is necessary to comply with the law.

  • Legitimate interests – where processing is necessary for our legitimate purposes and your rights are not overridden.

5. How We Share Your Information

We may share your information with:

  • Partner universities and training providers within the CENTA consortium.

  • Service providers that help us operate the Site and process applications.

  • Regulatory bodies or government agencies where legally required.

We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

6. Data Retention

We keep your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, including any legal or reporting requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and applicable regulations.

7. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

  • Improve the Site’s performance and security.

  • Analyse traffic and usage patterns.

  • Remember user preferences.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect Site functionality.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection laws, you have the right to:

  • Access a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

  • Request correction or deletion of your data.

  • Restrict or object to our processing of your data.

  • Withdraw your consent at any time (where processing is based on consent).

  • Request data portability.

To exercise your rights, please contact us using the details in Section 10. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at https://ico.org.uk.

9. Security

We implement technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or disclosure. However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact: [email protected]

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our practices, or our Site. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last updated” date.

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