Data protection policy

The Centre for doctoral Training in Applied Quantum Technologies (CDT-AQT) collects personal information about you when you make an enquiry about, or apply for, the  programme. We use this information to respond to your requests for information, to help you make informed decisions about whether you wish to apply to study with us, and to consider the suitability of your application to the CDT programme. This notice explains more about how we use your personal information. 

  • What information we collect about you 
  • How we use your information 
  • Information we may share with other organisations 
  • Information processed abroad 
  • How long we keep your information 
  • Accessing your information and other rights 
  • How to object or withdraw consent 
  • How to complain  

What information we collect about you 

We collect information about you when you make an enquiry, or when you submit an application to the CDT Programme. If you are later accepted onto the programme, or if you later apply directly to one of the CDT partner Universities, the University will collect further information about you as part of the application and enrolment process; this will be covered in a separate privacy notice by each University. 

Through your application, we will collect: 

  • Your name, address, and email address 
  • Your nationality and residence status 
  • Information about qualifications you hold 
  • Information about your current and past employment and study 
  • Your preferred research and training pathway 
  • Any other personal data you provide as part of your application, e.g. as part of your CV and personal statements.  
  • Optional information about your age, gender, ethnicity, disabilities and social background 

How we use your information 

We collect information about you when you make an enquiry about the CDT-AQT programme, whether by email or by submitting a request or application through the website. Enquiries made via the University partner websites are covered by their own privacy notices. 

We use the information you provide in your application to evaluate your suitability for the CDT programme. This information is used to enable us to take necessary steps at your request before entering into a contract; for example, to allow us to determine whether to make an offer of study, and to make clear the terms of that offer. We also use the information you provide for the performance of the tasks we carry out in the public interest, for example, teaching and research. 

Information you provide about your age, gender, ethnicity, disabilities and social background will be used in support of our legal obligation to monitor diversity and equality of opportunity. 

Information we may share with other organisations 

There are times when we may need to share information with other organisations. These are listed below. 

University of Glasgow and Heriot-Watt University 

The University of Glasgow and Heriot-Watt University are collaborators in the Centre for Doctoral Training in Applied Quantum Technologies. Your application will be shared with and assessed by the University you specify as your first-choice institution. If your application is rejected by your preferred institution, we may send your application to other institutions until all have had an opportunity to consider your application. 

We use a number of suppliers who process personal information on our behalf. These include suppliers of software services. These act strictly on our instructions and must not use the information for their own purposes. 

In exceptional circumstances we may be asked to share your information with police or other investigators if it would prevent or detect crime or safeguard a person’s wellbeing. Each instance will be judged on its own merit and any sharing of information will be done within the law. 

Industry Supervisors 

In instances where projects have an industry supervisor, your application will be shared with the named individual solely for the purposes of assessing the research application. No data will be stored or retained by this party. 

How long we keep your information 

We retain your personal information only as long as is necessary, and in accordance with the University of Strathclyde’s records retention schedule. The retention schedule has been created in line with the Jisc retention schedules.  

Data will be kept securely and destroyed when no longer required. If you go on to apply and enrol as a student at any of the partner Universities and duplicate data is collected and processed, the data held by us will be destroyed.  

Accessing your information and other rights 

You have a number of rights relating to your personal information. These include: 

Access – You have the right to request a copy of any personal information we hold about you. If you would like a copy of any of your information please contact enquiries@aqt.ac.uk. The team will process your request within a month. 

Correction – If any of the information we hold about you is incorrect or incomplete then please let us know. You have the right to have your information corrected so that we hold accurate records about you. 

Erasure – This is also known as the right to be forgotten. You can request that your personal information is erased if it is no longer necessary us to keep it, or you withdraw consent that you have previously provided, or you object and there is no overriding grounds to keep it or if it is unlawful to continue to keep it. 

Restriction – You can request that the use of your personal information is limited to storage only and that we use it for no other purpose. This applies where you contest the accuracy of the personal information we hold, or our use of the information is unlawful, or we no longer need the information except in relation to legal claims, or you object to the use of your data and we need to verify whether or not our purpose for keeping it overrides the grounds of your objection. 

How to object or withdraw consent 

If you object to our use of your personal information then we must stop unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for continuing. Please contact us and explain your objection. 

If you have provided your consent for the use of your personal information then you can withdraw this consent at any time by contacting enquiries@aqt.ac.uk