Privacy Policy

Last updated : June 7, 2018 ( Version 1.0 )

(A) This Notice

Summary – This Notice

This Notice explains what we may do with your personal data. It may be occasionally changed or updated, so please check it regularly.

This Notice is issued by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development) on behalf of itself, its subsidiaries and its affiliates (together, “HBKU”, “we”, “us” and “our”) and is addressed to people outside our organization with whom we interact, including visitors to our sites, and other users of our services (together, “you”). The terms used in this Notice are explained in Section (S) below.

For the purposes of this Notice, HBKU is the controller. Contact details are provided in Section (R) below.

(B) Collection of Personal Data

Summary – Collection of Personal Data

We may collect or obtain data about you: directly (e.g., where you contact us); in the course of our relationship with you (e.g., if you make a purchase from HBKU Press); when you make your data public (e.g., if you make a public post about us on social media); when you visit our site; or when you interact with any third-party content. We may also receive personal data about you from third parties (e.g., law enforcement authorities).

Collection of Personal Data: We may collect personal data about you from the following sources:

Data you provide: For example where you contact us via email or telephone, or by any other means, or when you provide us with your business card.
Relationship data: We may collect or obtain your data in the course of our relationship with you (e.g., if you purchase a service from us, where applicable).
Data you make public: We may collect or obtain your data that you choose to make public, including via social media (e.g., we may collect information from your social media profile(s), if you make a public post about us).
Site data: We may collect or obtain your personal data when you visit our site.
Registration details: We may collect or obtain your personal data when you use our sites or services.
Third-party information: We may collect or obtain your personal data from third parties who provide it to us (e.g., credit reference agencies; law enforcement authorities; etc.).

(C) Creation of Personal Data

Summary – Creation of Personal Data

We may create personal data about you (e.g., records of your interactions with us).

(D) Categories of Personal Data we may Process

Summary – Categories of Personal Data we may Process

We may process: your personal details (e.g., your name); demographic data (e.g., your age); your contact details (e.g., your address); records of your consents; purchase details; payment details (e.g., your billing address); information about our sites and Apps (e.g., the type of device you are using); details of your employer (where relevant); information about your interactions with our content or advertising; and any views or opinions you provide to us.

We may process the following categories of personal data about you:

Personal details: given name(s); preferred name; and photograph.
Demographic information: gender; date of birth / age; nationality; salutation; title; and language preferences.
Contact details: correspondence address; telephone number; email address; and details of your public social media profile(s).
Consent records: records of any consents you may have given, together with the date and time, means of consent and any related information (e.g., the subject matter of the consent).
Purchase details: records of purchases and prices.
Payment details: invoice records; payment records; billing address; payment method; bank account number or credit card number; cardholder or account holder name; card or account security details; card ‘valid from’ date; and card expiry date BACS details; SWIFT details; IBAN details; payment amount; payment date; and records of checks.
Data relating to our site and Apps: device type; operating system; browser type; browser settings; IP address; language settings; dates and times of connecting to a site; App usage statistics; App settings; dates and times of connecting to an App; location data, and other technical communications information (some of which may constitute personal data); username; password; security login details; usage data; aggregate statistical information.
Employer details: where you interact with us in your capacity as an employee, the name, address, telephone number and email address of your employer, to the extent relevant.
Content and advertising data: records of your interactions with our online advertising and content, records of advertising and content displayed on pages or App screens displayed to you, and any interaction you may have had with such content or advertising (including mouse hover, mouse clicks, any forms you complete (including incomplete forms not submitted) and any touchscreen interactions).
Views and opinions: any views and opinions that you express and/or choose to send to us, or publicly post about us on social media platforms.

(E) Lawful basis for Processing Personal Data

Summary

We may process your personal data where: you have given your prior, express consent; this is necessary for a contract between you and us; it is required by applicable law and necessary to protect the vital interests of any individual; or where we have a valid legitimate interest in the processing.

In processing your personal data in connection with the purposes set out in this Notice, we may rely on one or more of the following legal bases, depending on the circumstances:

Consent: We may process your personal data where we have obtained your prior, express consent (this legal basis is only used in relation to processing that is entirely voluntary – it is not used for processing that is necessary or obligatory in any way);
Contractual necessity: We may process your personal data where the processing is necessary in connection with any contract that you may enter into with us;
Compliance with applicable law: We may process your personal data where the processing is required by applicable law;
Vital interests: We may process your personal data where the processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of any individual; or
Legitimate interests: We may process your personal data where we have a legitimate interest in carrying out the processing for the purpose of managing, operating or promoting our business, and that legitimate interest is not overridden by your interests, fundamental rights, or freedoms.

(F) Sensitive Personal Data

Summary

We do not seek to collect or otherwise process your sensitive personal data in the ordinary course of our business. Where it becomes necessary to process your sensitive personal data for any reason, we rely on one of the following legal bases:

Compliance with applicable law: We may process your sensitive personal data where this is required or permitted by applicable law.
Detection and prevention of crime: We may process your sensitive personal data where this is necessary for the detection or prevention of crime (including the prevention of fraud);
Establishment, exercise or defense of legal rights: We may process your sensitive personal data where this is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal rights; or
Consent: We may process your sensitive personal data where we have, in accordance with applicable law, obtained your prior, express consent prior to processing it (this legal basis is only used in relation to processing that is entirely voluntary – it is not used for processing that is necessary or obligatory in any way).

(G) Purposes for which we may process your personal data

Summary

Providing services to you; operating our sites; communicating with you; managing our IT systems; health and safety; financial management; conducting surveys; ensuring the security of our premises and systems; conducting investigations where necessary; compliance with applicable law; and improving our site and services.

The purposes for which we may process personal data, subject to applicable law, include:

Provision of services to you: providing our sites or services to you; providing you with services that you have requested; providing you with promotional items at your request; and communicating with you in relation to those services.
Our Site: operating and managing our site; providing content to you; displaying information to you; communicating and interacting with you via our site; and notifying you of changes to our sites or our services.
Communications: communicating with you via any means (including via email, telephone, text message, social media, post or in person) news items and other information in which you may be interested, subject to ensuring that such communications are provided to you in compliance with applicable law; maintaining and updating your contact information where appropriate; and obtaining your prior, opt-in consent where required.
Communications and IT operations: management of our communications systems; operation of IT security systems; and IT security audits.
Health and safety: health and safety assessments and record keeping; and compliance with related legal obligations.
Financial management: sales; finance; corporate audit; and vendor management.
Surveys: engaging with you for the purposes of obtaining your views on our services or other matters, on the products and services of third parties, and on other topics including news and current affairs.
Security: physical security of our premises (including records of visits to our premises; and CCTV recordings); and electronic security (including login records and access details).
Investigations: detecting, investigating and preventing breaches of policy, and criminal offences, in accordance with applicable law.
Legal proceedings: establishing, exercising and defending legal rights.
Legal compliance: compliance with our legal and regulatory obligations under applicable law.
Improving our site and services: identifying issues with our site or our services; planning improvements to our sites or our services; and creating new sites, Apps, or services.

(H) Disclosure of Personal Data to third parties

Summary

We may disclose your personal data to: legal and regulatory authorities; our external advisors; our processors; any party as necessary in connection with legal proceedings; any party as necessary for investigating, detecting or preventing criminal offences; any purchaser of our business; and any third party providers of advertising, plugins or content used on our site.

We may disclose your personal data to other entities within Qatar Foundation, for legitimate purposes (including operating our site, and providing services to you), in accordance with applicable law. In addition, we may disclose your personal data to:

Legal and regulatory authorities, upon request, or for the purposes of reporting any actual or suspected breach of applicable law or regulation;
Accountants, auditors, lawyers and other outside professional advisors to HBKU, subject to binding contractual obligations of confidentiality;
Third-party processors (such as payment services providers; shipping companies; etc.), located anywhere in the world, subject to the requirements noted below in this Section (H);
Any relevant party, law enforcement agency or court, to the extent necessary for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal rights;
Any relevant party for the purposes of prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties, including safeguarding against and the prevention of threats to public security;

If we engage a third-party processor to process your personal data, the processor will be subject to binding contractual obligations to: (i) only process the data in accordance with our prior written instructions; and (ii) use measures to protect the confidentiality and security of the personal data; together with any additional requirements under applicable law.

(I) Profiling

Summary – Profiling

This may include automated decision-making, including profiling which is carried out for the following purposes.

Profiling activity

Logic of the Profiling activity

Consequences for you

Personalized Content

We may analyze your website/apps usage along with other publicly available information and third-party information. This information may be used to determine the most appropriate contents and/or services that may interest you.

The profiling activity may mean that you will see content differently on our site compared to other users. We do not make any content unavailable unless required by law and/or our policy.

Geographical Content

We may use your geographical origin information. This information will be used to ensure you only see content and services available to that geographic areas.

The profiling activity may mean that you will see not see some contents/services. We do not make any content unavailable unless required by law and/or our policy.

(J) International transfer of personal data

Summary – International transfer of personal data

We may transfer your personal data to recipients in other countries. Where we transfer personal data from the EEA to a recipient outside the EEA that is not in an adequate jurisdiction, we do so on the basis of standard contractual clauses.

Because of the international nature of our organization, we may need to transfer your personal data within HBKU, and to third parties as noted in Section (H) above, in connection with the purposes set out in this Notice. For this reason, we may transfer your personal data to other countries that may have different laws and data protection compliance requirements to those that apply in the country in which you are located.

Where we transfer your personal data from the EEA to recipients located outside the EEA who are not in adequate jurisdictions, we do so on the basis of standard contractual clauses. You may request a copy of our standard contractual clauses using the contact details provided in Section (R) below.

Please note that when you transfer any personal data directly to an HBKU entity established outside the EEA, we are not responsible for that transfer of your personal data. We will nevertheless process your personal data, from the point at which we receive that data, in accordance with the provisions of this privacy policy.

(K) Data security

Summary – Data security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data. Please ensure any personal data you send us is sent securely.

We have implemented appropriate measures designed to protect your personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure, unauthorized access, and other unlawful or unauthorized forms of processing, in accordance with applicable law.

Because the internet is an open system, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will implement all reasonable measures to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to us using the internet – any such transmission is at your own risk and you are responsible for ensuring that any personal data that you send to us is sent securely.

(L) Data accuracy

Summary

We take all reasonable steps to ensure your personal data is kept accurate and up to date and is deleted or rectified if we become aware of inaccuracies.

We take every reasonable step to ensure that:

Any personal data that we process is accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date; and
Any of your personal data that we process that is inaccurate (having regard to the purposes for which they are processed) is immediately erased or rectified.

We may occasionally ask you to confirm the accuracy of your personal data.

(M) Data minimization

Summary

We take every reasonable step to limit the volume of personal data that we process.

And that it is reasonably necessary in connection with the purposes set out in this notice.

(N) Data retention

Summary

We take every reasonable step to ensure that your personal data is only retained for as long as necessary.

The criteria for determining the duration for which we will retain your personal data are as follows:

1. We will retain copies of your personal data in a form that permits identification only for as long as:

(a) we maintain an ongoing relationship with you (e.g you are a user of our services, you are lawfully included in our mailing list and have not unsubscribed); or

(b) your personal data is necessary in connection with the lawful purposes set out in this Notice, for which we have a valid and continuing legal basis (e.g., where your personal data are included in a contract between us and your employer),

plus:

2. the duration of:

(a) any applicable limitation period under applicable law (i.e., any period during which any person could bring a legal claim against us in connection with your personal data, or to which your personal data may be relevant); and

(b) an additional two (2) month period following the end of such applicable limitation period (so that, if a person bring a claim at the end of the limitation period, we are still afforded a reasonable amount of time in which to identify any personal data still relevant to that claim),

and:

3. in addition, if any relevant legal claims are brought, we may continue to process your personal data for such additional periods as are necessary in connection with that claim.

During the periods noted in paragraphs (2)(a) and (2)(b) above, we will restrict our processing of your personal data to storage of, and maintaining the security of, such data, except to the extent that such data needs to be reviewed in connection with any legal claim, or any obligation under applicable law.

Once the periods in paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) above, each to the extent applicable, have concluded, we will either:

Permanently delete or destroy the relevant personal data; or
Anonymize the relevant personal data.

(O) Your legal rights

Summary

Under applicable law, you may have a number of rights, including: the right not to provide your personal data to us; the right of access to your personal data; the right to request rectification of inaccuracies; the right to request the erasure, or restriction of processing, of your personal data; the right to object to the processing of your personal data; the right to have your personal data transferred to another controller; the right to withdraw consent; and the right to lodge complaints with data protection authorities. We may require proof of your identity before we can give effect to these rights.

Subject to applicable law, you may have a number of rights regarding the processing of your relevant personal data, including:

The right not to provide your personal data to us (however, please note that we may be unable to provide you with the full benefit of our site or our services, if you do not provide us with your personal data – e.g., we may not be able to process your orders without the necessary details);
The right to request access to, or copies of, your relevant personal data, together with information regarding the nature, processing and disclosure of such relevant personal data;
The right to request rectification of any inaccuracies in your relevant personal data;
The right to request, on legitimate grounds:

oerasure of your relevant personal data; or

orestriction of processing of your relevant personal data;

The right to object, on legitimate grounds, to the processing of your relevant personal data by us or on our behalf;
The right to have certain relevant personal data transferred to another controller, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, to the extent applicable;
Where we process your relevant personal data on the basis of your consent, the right to withdraw that consent (noting that such withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of any processing performed prior to the date on which we receive notice of such withdrawal, and does not prevent the processing of your personal data in reliance upon any other available legal basis); and
The right to lodge complaints with a data protection authority regarding the processing of your relevant personal data by us or on our behalf.

This does not affect your statutory rights.

To exercise one or more of these rights, or to ask a question about these rights or any other provision of this notice, or about our processing of your personal data, please use the contact details provided in Section (R) below. Please note that:

We may require proof of your identity before we can give effect to these rights; and
Where your request requires the establishment of additional facts (e.g., a determination of whether any processing is non-compliant with applicable law) we will investigate your request reasonably promptly, before deciding what action to take.

(P) Cookies and similar technologies

Summary

We may process your personal data by placing or reading Cookies and similar technologies. For more information, please see our Cookie Policy.

When you visit our site we may place Cookies onto your device, or read Cookies already on your device, subject always to obtaining your consent, where required, in accordance with applicable law. We use Cookies to record information about your device, your browser and, in some cases, your preferences and browsing habits. We may process your personal data through Cookies and similar technologies, in accordance with our Cookie Policy.

(Q) Direct marketing

Summary

We may process your personal data to contact you via email, telephone, direct mail or other communication formats to provide you with information regarding services that may be of interest to you. If we provide services to you, we may send information to you regarding our services, and other information that may be of interest to you, using the contact details that you have provided to us and always in compliance with applicable law.

You may unsubscribe from our email list at any time by simply clicking on the unsubscribe link included in every promotional email we send. After you unsubscribe, we will not send you further promotional emails, but we may continue to contact you to the extent necessary for the purposes of any services you have requested.

(R) Contact details

Summary

You may contact us by post or using our online form.

If you have any comments, questions or concerns about any of the information in this notice, or any other issues relating to the processing of personal data carried out by us, or on our behalf, please contact:

Legal Department
HBKU
P.O. Box 5825,
Doha, State of Qatar

(S) Definitions

“App” means any application made available by us (including where we make such applications available via third-party stores or marketplaces, or by any other means).
“Adequate Jurisdiction” a jurisdiction that has been formally designated by the European Commission as providing an adequate level of protection for Personal Data.
“Cookie” means a small file that is placed on your device when you visit a website (including our site). In this Notice, a reference to a “Cookie” includes analogous technologies such as web beacons and clear GIFs.
“Controller” means the entity that decides how and why personal data is processed. In many jurisdictions, the controller has primary responsibility for complying with applicable data protection laws.
“Data Protection Authority” means an independent public authority that is legally tasked with overseeing compliance with applicable data protection laws.
“EEA” means the European Economic Area.
“Personal Data” means information that is about any individual, or from which any individual is directly or indirectly identifiable, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that individual.
“Process”, “Processing” or “Processed” means anything that is done with any personal data, whether or not by automated means, such as collection, recording, organization, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction.
“Processor” means any person or entity that processes personal data on behalf of the controller (other than employees of the controller).
“Relevant Personal Data” means personal data in respect of which we are the controller. It expressly does not include personal data of which we are not the controller.
“Sensitive Personal Data” means personal data about race or ethnicity, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, physical or mental health, sexual life, any actual or alleged criminal offences or penalties, national identification number, or any other information that may be deemed to be sensitive under applicable law.
“Standard Contractual Clauses” means template transfer clauses adopted by the European Commission or adopted by a data protection authority and approved by the European Commission.
“Site” means any website operated, or maintained, by us or on our behalf.