Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey privacy notice

Information you need to know

The Teaching and Learning Academy is part of Liverpool John Moores University. See further information on the institution.

Liverpool John Moores University is the Data Controller. Advance HE, which administers the survey, and Jisc, which provides the survey platform, act as data processors on our behalf.

Our Data Protection Officer can be contacted at DPO@ljmu.ac.uk.

This privacy notice explains how we use your personal information and your rights regarding that information.

For information about how the wider university uses personal data please see the Privacy notice section of our website.

Information we are collecting

The purpose of the PTES is to gather feedback from students about their learning and teaching experience.

If you choose to participate, we will process some of your personal data, including your:

  • name
  • student ID or username
  • email address

We will also process demographic information, such as:

  • ethnicity
  • mode of study
  • age group
  • disability

We may also process limited special category data where this relates to equality and diversity characteristics (for example, information about your ethnic background or disability).

Source of the personal data

Some of the personal data used to administer the survey is obtained from existing university student records, for example your:

  • name
  • course details
  • contact information

We also use demographic information such as ethnicity, mode of study, age group and disability, some of which is pre-recorded from university records to meet Advance HE requirements, while other information may be self-reported by you (for example, gender).

Why we are collecting your data and the legal basis for this

We process personal data in accordance with the principles of the GDPR and only where there is a valid lawful basis to do so.

We process your personal data to carry out our public task as a higher education institution, including:

  • monitoring, evaluating and enhancing the quality of:
    • teaching
    • the student experience
  • meeting external quality assurance and regulatory requirements

Where you choose to provide responses to the survey, this participation is voluntary.

Special category data (such as equality and diversity information) is used for statistical monitoring and reporting purposes.

Who has access to this data

Your personal data is accessed only by relevant staff at LJMU where it is necessary for them to carry out their roles, including colleagues in the Teaching and Learning Academy responsible for survey administration and analysis.

The survey dataset is shared with Advance HE, who carry out national analysis and benchmarking across participating institutions. Survey results are reported in a way that does not identify individuals.

How the university protects your data

We are committed to keeping your personal data safe in line with data protection legislation and the university’s information security and data protection policies.

All participating institutions, including LJMU, ensure that published results do not identify individual respondents.

How long the university keeps your data

Personal identifiers provided for the administration of the survey, such as your name, student ID or username and email address, are securely deleted by the university once the institutional report has been generated.

Anonymised survey responses, including responses linked to demographic categories such as programme of study, mode of study, age group or ethnic background, are retained for up to five years to support longitudinal analysis of the student experience.

Your rights

As a data subject, you have a number of rights. You can:

  • access and obtain a copy of your data on request - this could be in a portable electronic format
  • request that the university changes incorrect or incomplete data if you think that it is inaccurate or out of date
  • request that the university delete or stop processing your data, for example where the data is no longer necessary or legally required for the purposes of processing

If your personal data has been provided by consent, you have a right to withdraw that consent at any time.

If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact the Data Protection Officer at DPO@ljmu.ac.uk.

If you do not provide data

Participation in the survey is voluntary. If you do not wish to take part, you are not required to complete the survey, and this will not affect your studies or your relationship with the university.

If you would prefer to provide feedback in an alternative format, you can contact the Teaching and Learning Academy by emailing StudentSurveys@ljmu.ac.uk or calling 0151 231 8672.

Transfers of data outside the UK

Your personal data will not be shared outside the UK.

Automated decision-making

We do not use computers to make decisions about you based solely on your personal data. Any decisions that affect you will always be made by a human, ensuring that you are treated fairly.

How to complain to the university

You have a right to complain to the university if you think it has not properly responded to your request for personal information or feel it has not handled your personal data responsibly.

If you are not satisfied with how your request for information or how your personal data has been handled, you should set out your complaint in writing to:

Maria Burquest
University Secretary and General Counsel
Legal and Governance Services
2nd Floor Exchange Station
Tithebarn Street
Liverpool
L2 2QP

or by email via DPO@ljmu.ac.uk.

How to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office

You have the right to complain to The Information Commissioner if you believe that our processing of your personal data does not meet our data protection obligations. The Information Commissioner can be contacted using the following details:

  • Post: Information Commissioners Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK95AF.
  • Telephone: 0303 123 1113.
  • Email: contact can be made by accessing the ICO website.