Data Protection Statement

Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) is committed to respecting your privacy and being transparent about the information we are collecting about you. The purpose of this is to develop a better understanding of our alumni, to allow us to keep in touch with you and inform you of news, events, services, reunions and career opportunities that are relevant to you, and ultimately to provide you with the best experience as an alumnus/alumna. This statement explains how the University (“we”) collects and uses your personal data for alumni relations purposes.

What personal information we collect

We may hold and process the following types of personal data about you:

Biographical information, which may include:

  • Name, title, contact details, date of birth, gender, marital status, and family details.
  • Details of your education: student ID, programme of study, department, college, matriculation or start date, graduation date, degree conferred, awards received, other education history.
  • Employment details, career history, professional activities, professional profile.
  • Interests, activities, present or past undertaken projects, life achievements.
  • Profile pictures (which you have provided to us or from publicly accessible sources where copyright allows).
  • Links to your public social media presence (for example LinkedIn, Twitter, website or blog).

Details of our ongoing relationship and your engagement with us, which may include:

  • Records of your personal interactions with us (e.g. correspondence, notes of meetings or conversations).
  • Your communication preferences, to help us provide tailored and relevant communications.
  • Your attendance at University events, including details of any payments made, and photographs, audio and video recordings in which you may be included.
  • Details of benefits and services provided to you, e.g. use of University Careers Service.
  • Your connections to other alumni, students, staff, or groups of the University.
  • Your membership of University alumni groups or social media groups e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn.
  • A record of offers of voluntary support you have made, e.g. offers of expertise, advice, mentoring, internships, coaching.

How we collect the information

We collect information about you from a variety of sources. A significant portion of the information we hold is that which you provide to us (for example, by corresponding with us, communicating your professional profile for the website, or registering for an event). Some of your personal data is also obtained from the University’s alumni database. We may also augment the information we collect about you from publicly available data and targeted internet searches (public courses for companies, public sources for individuals, press sources, social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin), in order to obtain and maintain accuracy of the data listed above.  

How we use your data

We use your data for a number of purposes in support of alumni relations. These include:

  • sending you news about the University in general and the Dual Master’s Degree Programme World Heritage Studies/Cultural Heritage in particular
  • offering events tailored to your interests
  • inviting you to attend alumni and other relevant University events
  • providing you with information about alumni services
  • sending you details of volunteering opportunities, or linking current students with alumni for career advice and internships
  • providing the most relevant content and best user experience on our website
  • conducting surveys and collecting feedback
  • analysing information about our alumni for statistical research purposes
  • internal record keeping
  • administrative purposes

We may communicate with you by post, telephone or email, depending on the contact details we hold, the consent that you have provided, and the preferences expressed by you about the types of communications you wish to receive.

If you have concerns about any of these purposes, or how we communicate with you, please contact us. We will always respect your request to stop processing your personal information.

When we share our data

We may, from time to time, need to share your personal data within the University departments, or affiliated organisations and individuals that offer alumni support (alumni groups, clubs, etc.). We will only do this in appropriate circumstances, by secure means, and with the relevant data sharing agreements in place.

How we protect your data

We ensure we have appropriate data sharing agreements in place before sharing your personal data. 
We do not sell your personal data to third parties under any circumstances.
We also facilitate communication between individual alumni or between alumni and current students, but in doing so we do not release personal contact details without prior permission.

Your rights

  • request access to, correction or erasure of your data
  • object to processing of your data
  • object to communications
  • request the transfer of your data electronically to a third party.

Further information

Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) has a range of data protection policies and procedures, which can be found here: https://www.b-tu.de/datenschutz/