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Processing of personal data

Read about how we work with GDPR.

Processing of personal data at the Åland University of Applied Sciences

It is important to us that you feel secure that your personal data is being handled in a legal and transparent manner. We want you to know how we use your personal data and what rights you have. This is where you can find information on how your personal data is collected, for example, through our websites, and is processed by the Åland University of Applied Sciences (alternatively ‘the university’ below). The university complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR) which came into force throughout the EU on 25 May 2018. The purpose of the GDPR is to improve the protection of the individual when processing personal data.

The university is responsible for all processing of personal data within its operations. This document explains how your personal data is processed by the Åland University of Applied sciences.

What is GDPR?

GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation. The EU law concerning the processing of personal data came into force on 25 May 2018.

The Regulation’s text in full:

How do we work with GDPR?

  • we have a GDPR policy (data security policy)
  • we have a GDPR manager (data security manager)
  • we have an internal information channel for GDPR issues
  • we describe our personal data systematically
  • our staff have received training on GDPR
  • we sign data processing agreements with our partners
  • we have a registration overview
  • we have data protection officers
  • we work continuously to improve our data security
  • we have a quality system, meaning that we work in accordance with processes
  • we have perimeter security for personal data (analogue and digital)

How does the Åland University of Applied Sciences process personal data?

The Åland University of Applied Sciences processes your data in accordance with the law and in a transparent manner. You as an individual have the right to know what personal data has been processed about you, the right to object to the processing of your personal data and in some cases the right to be forgotten — that is, to have your data deleted. The Åland University of Applied Sciences has the right to process your personal data in order to fulfill our mission as a government authority and higher education institution under Åland’s Provincial Government. That is, in order to provide education and research and interact with society.

All processing of personal data at the Åland University of Applied Sciences takes place in order to promote the above-mentioned purpose. The processing must also have a legal basis. Only that personal data which is required for the purpose may be processed.

More detailed information about how your personal data is processed as a colleague or student can be obtained from your course leader or manager at Åland University of Applied Sciences. If you have not received information from them, you can contact the university’s data protection team (contact details at the bottom of the webpage).

What personal data do we collect?

There are a variety of reasons the university processes your personal data. The most common reasons are if you are a student, employee, participant in a study, researcher, participant in a conference or in another event and you apply for a position, apply for a study place or for some other reason have contact or cooperate with the university.

Most of the information we collect is directly from you. In certain cases we also collect information from other sources such as in the transfer of data from other government authorities.

Which data we process depends on the reason we are processing your personal data. These may include the following:

  • Contact Information such as your name, address, telephone number and email
  • Personal identity number when we need to establish your identity
  • Bank and other financial information (for salaries or invoicing)
  • Personal data obtained within the framework of participation in a research study
  • Information about study results and other information about your studies
  • Information about how you use our websites for the purpose of improving their user friendliness (such as via cookies)
  • Information when attending conferences or courses
  • Personal data required on employment or when applying for a position

How do we protect your personal data?

The Åland University of Applied Sciences ensures that the processing of personal data is protected by all appropriate technical and organisational measures. These measures are such that they ensure a level of security which is appropriate to the risks in processing. Aspects of security include confidentiality, accuracy and accessibility as well as adequate technical protection. It may be, for example, that only an authorized person has access to the data, that the data is encrypted, that the data is stored in specially protected locations and that a copy of the processing is taken.

Who can access your personal data?

Much of the information at the Åland University of Applied Sciences constitutes public documents. If your personal data is contained in a public document, anyone who requests the document can obtain your personal data, unless this is prevented by law.

In addition, your details may be disclosed to the university’s partners in research projects, to suppliers and other parties who require such information as a consequence of agreements between the Åland University of Applied Sciences and you, on account of information of public interest as part of the exercise of public authority or on account of a legal obligation the university has.

Information is of public interest if är en uppgift som HÅ måste uppfylla enligt lag eller beslut med stöd i lag, but which is not directly included in the Åland University of Applied Sciences’ exercise of public authority.

When transferring personal data to another party the Åland University of Applied Sciences takes the appropriate legal, organisational and technical measures that may be required in order to protect your personal data. You will be informed if we plan to disclose information about you to other organisations.

The Åland University of Applied Sciences will not hand over personal data to other parties without a legal basis for doing so.

How long is your personal data stored?

Personal data is stored as long as is necessary for the purpose of its processing or as long as is required by law.

  • If you are an employee, we process your personal data as long as it is required to administer the employment relationship.
  • If you are a student we process your personal data as long as you area student at the university.
  • When you are no longer a student at Åland University of Applied Sciences, we process your data as is required by law, and for any publications you have approved.
  • If you are a participant in a study, we process your personal data for as long as is required to ensure the quality of the research.

For public documents, personal data is dealt with in accordance with the Freedom of the Press Act (1949:105), the Archives Act (ÅFS 2004:13) and the regulations of the Provincial Archives of Åland. In many cases this means that your personal data may be stored for between one year and in perpetuity at the Åland University of Applied Sciences central archive or the Provincial Archives of Åland.

Personal data and third countries

The Åland University of Applied Sciences may transfer personal data to a third country outside the EU/EES, especially in the case of international research projects. The university will then take all reasonable legal, organisational and technical measures required to achieve an adequate level of protection for your personal data. You will also be informed about the data transfer in such an eventuality.

Questions concerning data protection

If you have any questions concerning data protection, you can get in touch with those responsible for a specific project or course, or those directly responsible for data protection (see below).

Contact Information for Data Protection at the Åland University of Applied Sciences

dataskydd@ha.ax

Bengt Englund
+358 457 3447189

Jennie Lindman
+358 457 3453098

Postal address: Dataskydd, Högskolan på Åland, Neptunigatan 17, AX-22111, Mariehamn, Åland

Links

The data inspection authority’s webpage (DI.AX) about GDPR

Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing  Directive 95/46/EG

Provincial Act on Data Protection in Provincial and Municipal Administration (2019:9)