Your data: Frequently asked questions

Data is collected during the course of some of our projects and events, and if you are reading this page, we have probably asked you if we can collect yours. Below are some of the questions we are asked most frequently about the data we collect, and their answers.

Who do you mean by data?

When we talk about data, we are actually talking about things like your name, your address and your date of birth. Basically, we mean things that let us know that you, are you.

Sometimes we don't need to know much about you at all, but sometimes it is helpful to us if we know more, like whether you consider yourself to be disabled, or have ever been in care.

Why do you need to know all this?

A lot of the work we do is designed to help young people make decisions about their future, make the most of their education, and achieve the future they want. The data we collect helps us to see whether we are working with the right people, and if are making a difference.

The data we collect helps us improve the work we do, so by providing it you are also helping the other people we work with in the future (you hero).

Some questions seem quite personal, why do you ask them?

We always want to make sure we are supporting the people who will benefit from it the most, this sometimes means we need to ask personal questions about you, so we can understand your needs, and whether we have met them.

What if I feel uncomfortable providing the information you have asked for?

You don't have to provide us with any information if you would prefer not to, and we'd never make choices about who we did, or did not work with based on whether they had provided us with their data.

Do you share my data with anyone?

We share your data with a service called the Higher Education Access Tracker. They help us to keep track of when we worked with you, and they match the data you have given us up with data held by other people, like the Department for Education (the people in charge of schools) to find out things like whether you go to university.

We don't share your data with anyone else!

Is my data stored safely?

Yes - your data is stored on the Higher Education Access Tracker database and nowhere else. The database is very secure, only the team you work with in the university, and the Higher Education Access Tracker team have access to your data.

How long do you keep my data for?

We often want to help young people achieve certain goals, such as going to university, or getting particular qualifications. Because of this we'll need to hold onto your data until you'd normally achieve those goals. For instance, if you are currently in year nine, and attended an event with us designed to help you get into university, we might keep hold of your data for six or seven years because this is how long it might be before you head to university.

When we have finished with your data we'll either anonymize it (so no-one, not even us, can see that it is about you) or remove it from our records.

What if I have previously provided my data, and have now decided I would prefer not to?

Everyone has the right to change their mind! This isn't a problem at all, just drop us an email on educationliaison@mdx.ac.uk and we'll make sure we remove your data from our records. You can also use this same email address to ask us what data we have about you.

I have more questions, what should I do?

We like questions! No problem at all, just ask the person who has asked you to provide your data, or drop us an email at educationliaison@mdx.ac.uk and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Is there an 'official' statement about all of this?

There is! We have included it here:

This data we collect is used to help us to evaluate the work we do to improve access to Higher Education. The statement below outlines in full how this data is used and administered.

To support research into, and the evaluation of Middlesex University’s efforts to widen access to higher education, data provided may be shared with the Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT) project. This data is periodically matched with administrative data sets such as those provided by the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE), the Higher Education Statistics agency, the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and the department for Education to track students through the outreach process and into higher education. We will not share your data with any unauthorised third party.

You can withdraw permission to utilise your, or your child’s data in the ways outlined above by emailing educationliaison@mdx.ac.uk, or in writing to Education Liaison, Middlesex University, Hendon Campus, The Burroughs, Hendon, NW4 4BT. If you have any other concerns about the use of data for these purposes please contact educationliaison@mdx.ac.uk. Under the Data Protection Act 1998 you have the right to a copy of the data held about you by us. If would like a copy of the data you have supplied directly to us, please contact educationliaison@mdx.ac.uk or refer to our public policy statement page (https://www.mdx.ac.uk/about-us/policies/public-policy-statements) to complete a ‘Subject Access Request’.

I'd rather watch a video than read all of this...

We don't blame you, the Higher Education Access Tracker have helped us out with the video below, which explains why it can be really helpful for us to collect and store your data.