For Applicants to the Trust
The Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trust handles your personal information while you are an applicant in the same ways as those described in the University of Cambridge’s statement for applicants to the University:
https://www.information-compliance.admin.cam.ac.uk/data-protection/applicant-data
For Scholars and Alumni
This statement provides information about the use of personal information while you are a Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trust scholar or alumnus/a. The Trust handles your relevant information in a similar way as the University as described on the University Website: https://www.information-compliance.admin.cam.ac.uk/data-protection/student-data
1. What is ‘personal information’?
Personal information’ means any information, which relates to or identifies you as an individual.
2. How does this statement relate to other information about data protection?
When you applied to become a student, you were told how the University and the relevant College(s) would use your personal information to process your application and for related purposes, including with regard to any funding applications (see https://www.information-compliance.admin.cam.ac.uk/data-protection/applicant-data). This statement sets out the uses we make of your personal information while you are a Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trust scholar and alumni.
3. Who will process my personal information?
The information published here applies to the use, sharing and disclosure of your personal information by the Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trust.
4. What personal information will be processed?
The Trust will keep a record of the details you provided on your application form, any supporting documents requested as part of your admission and additional details provided by any referees and recorded following any interview process. We will also maintain records about your studies at Cambridge. This personal information will include data such as your name, home address, date of birth, course studied, fee payments, and information about your progress on the course. Your personal information is created, stored and transmitted securely in a variety of paper and electronic formats, including a database. Access to your personal information is limited to the Trust’s staff who have a legitimate interest in it for carrying out the Trust’s purposes on the legal bases identified below, and our use of your personal information will not be excessive.
The Trust will collect and store your information when you visit its site using its cookies to identity your browser or device, the pages you visit and how you navigate the site.
5. What is the purpose and legal basis of the processing?
The Trust will process your personal information for a range of purposes, including the following:
- To deliver and administer your scholarship and record the details of your progress with your studies
- To administer the financial aspects of your relationship with us and any other funders.
- To enable your participation at events (e.g. functions)
- To communicate effectively with you by post, e-mail and phone, including the distribution of relevant newsletters and circulars
- To compile statistics and conduct surveys and research for internal and statutory reporting purposes
- To fulfil and monitor our responsibilities under equalities, immigration and public safety legislation
- To promote the work of the Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trust
We consider the processing of your personal information for these purposes to be either:
- necessary for the performance of our contractual obligations with you
- necessary for compliance with a legal obligation
- necessary for the pursuit of the legitimate interests of the Trust or an external organisation (e.g. to enable your access to external services)
In addition to this, the Trust may process some information about you that is classed as ‘sensitive’ or ‘special category’ personal data, and which requires additional protections. This includes information concerning your health or disability matters, which is used for planning and monitoring purposes. If we require your consent for any specific use of your personal information, we will collect it at the appropriate time and you can withdraw this at any time. We will not use your personal information to carry out any wholly automated decision-making that affects you.
6. Who will my personal information be shared with?
As described above, your personal information (including photographs of you) is shared with relevant staff at the Trust as required. In addition, it is shared as permitted or required by law, on a considered and confidential basis, with a range of relevant external organisations, including the following:
- Other funders and/or sponsors (e.g. relevant Research Councils, the funders of any awards or prizes)
- The University of Cambridge and the Cambridge Colleges. Please note that the University and each of the Colleges are separate legal entities for these purposes
- Relevant Government Departments (e.g. Department for Education, Home Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department of Health)
- Relevant Higher Education bodies (e.g. Higher Education Funding Council for England)
- Trust auditors
- On occasion and where necessary, subsidiary companies of the University
- Companies or organisations providing specific services to, or on behalf of, the Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trust
On occasion, the above types of sharing may involve the transfer of your personal information outside the UK (e.g. to report to an overseas funding provider). Such transfers are usually necessary in order to meet our contractual obligations with you, and are carried out with appropriate safeguards in place to ensure the confidentiality and security of your personal information.
Other than as set out above, we will not normally publish or disclose any personal information about you to other external enquirers or organisations unless you have requested it or consented to it, or unless it is in your vital interests to do so (e.g. in an emergency situation).
7. How is my personal information used in publicity and promotions?
We publish details of all our successful scholars on our website. This information consists of your name, nationality, degree, subject, College and scholarship award. You may opt out of this at any time by contacting us.
The Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trust hosts events for scholars throughout the year, and photographers are often present. Photographs (of groups and individuals) taken at these events may be published on our web site and in other publicity material and may be shared with the University of Cambridge. When you are invited to attend these events, you will be given the opportunity to opt out of any photography. If at any time you do not wish your photograph to be used for publicity purposes please do inform us.
8. How is my personal information used after I graduate?
After you graduate, your contact and core personal details, in addition to details of the scholarship you held, are added to our alumni database and retained indefinitely or until your consent is withdrawn. We use your data for a number of interdependent purposes in support of alumni relations. These include:
- sending you publications
- conducting surveys
- inviting you to alumni and other events; and
- internal record keeping, including the management of any feedback or complaints
The details of the scholarship you held are retained indefinitely on the Trust’s student database. This is to enable it to respond to queries about the award or retrieve your record if you apply for an award in future years.
If you have concerns or queries about any of these purposes, or how we communicate with you, please contact us.
9. What rights do I have in relation to my personal data?
You have the right to access the personal information that is held about you by the Trust. This is called a ‘subject access request’. You also have the right to ask us to correct any inaccurate personal information we hold about you, to delete personal information, or otherwise restrict our processing, or to object to processing (including the receipt of direct marketing) or to receive an electronic copy of the personal information you provided to us. Please note that all of these rights are qualified in various ways.
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us.
10. How long is my information kept?
We store your personal information as part of your record for the duration of your scholarship and for six years afterwards. Although the Trust is not legally part of the University of Cambridge, we adopt and follow the records retention procedures of the University as published: https://www.information-compliance.admin.cam.ac.uk/
Your contact and core personal details, in addition to details of the scholarship you held, are retained indefinitely on our student database.
11. Who can I contact?
If you have any questions about how your personal information is used, or wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact Breeda O’Leary, Head of Finance and Administration - Breeda.O’Leary@admin.cam.ac.uk
12. How do I complain?
If you are not happy with the way your information is being handled, or with the response received from us, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF (https://ico.org.uk/).
13. Are changes made to this statement?
This statement was last updated in February 2021. It is reviewed when necessary and at least annually. You will be notified about any changes via e-mail.