Use and disclosure of personal information
Deakin is committed to responsible collection and management of personal and health information (referred to in this statement as personal information) consistent with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic), the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and our Privacy Policy. All areas of Deakin treat personal information and health information in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Deakin website users
When you visit our site, Deakin may collect your personal information as well as data about your interaction with our website.
Automated collection of data
We use functional, analytical and tracking cookies (or similar technologies) which are saved to your web browser to personalise your visit to our website. For this purpose, the cookie collects your IP address, browser type, browser language, date and time of your request, and the identity of your browser.
We collect data using cookies to help us better understand how people use our website and to give website visitors a better experience. You may choose not to accept cookies by opting-out of DoubleClick or opting-out of Google Analytics.
More information about how we use functional, analytical and tracking cookies (or similar technologies) and how you may manage them can be found on Manage cookies on the Deakin website.
Collection from you
Deakin collects your personal information when you supply it to access restricted areas of our websites, request information, complete online surveys and forms, or when offering feedback about Deakin's website. We collect this personal information to fulfil your service request and facilitate your participation in surveys.
If you choose not to accept cookies or supply your personal information, we may not be able to personalise your experience, provide you with access to restricted websites, or fulfill your request and it may limit your ability to participate in surveys and other feedback activities.
Applicants for employment at Deakin
When you apply for a role at Deakin, we collect your personal information to administer your application and assess your suitability for the relevant position.
If your application is successful, the personal information Deakin has collected will form part of your employment record and will be used to administer your employment at Deakin.
If your application is not successful, Deakin may keep your submission and related documents on file for a reasonable period and may use your information to communicate with you about other employment opportunities that may be of interest. If you do not wish your details to be retained, please email DeakinRecruit@deakin.edu.au and request that they be removed.
Full details of how Deakin manages your application are available when you apply via Deakin’s online recruitment process.
The personal information Deakin collects
We will collect personal information relevant to the position you apply for. This may include your name and contact details, employment history, educational history, professional associations, racial/ethnic background, health, and any requirements for accommodation during the interview process.
How Deakin collects your personal information
Collection from you
Most personal information will be collected from you directly when you enter your details into Deakin’s recruitment system/s.
Collection from recruitment service providers
Deakin engages recruitment service providers to assist it in recruitment (Recruiters). The Recruiters have entered into agreements with Deakin in which they are obligated to protect the privacy of your personal information.
Deakin will collect personal information relevant to your application from these Recruiters.
Who Deakin may disclose your personal information to
Assessment and verification
Deakin may disclose your personal information to external selection panel members and to your referees.
Deakin may also disclose your name and relevant details to:
- verify your identity and the personal information provided by you or collected about you (e.g. education, professional affiliations);
- its legal advisors, professional advisors or consultants;
- conduct criminal records checks, working with children and other fit and proper person checks, if relevant to the position for which you are applying.
Referees
Deakin will provide your name, contact details and details of the position you have applied for to your named referees. Deakin encourages you to notify your referees that it holds the referee’s contact details and that they may seek access to the information held about them by contacting Deakin’s Privacy Officer at privacy@deakin.edu.au.
Disclosure outside of Australia
If Deakin must communicate with a person or entity (a recipient) located outside of Australia to verify your personal information or to contact your referees, you should be aware that the privacy laws applying in the recipient’s jurisdiction may not be comparable to those in place in Australia. By providing the relevant information to Deakin you are consenting to it disclosing your personal information to a recipient outside of Australia to the extent relevant to your application.
Other than as notified above, Deakin will not disclose your personal information to any other person or entity without your prior consent, unless it is authorised or required by law to do so.
Research and collaboration from other institutions
This statement explains how Deakin manages your personal information when you collaborate with Deakin researchers.
Deakin collects your name, position, employer, contact details and research profile. It will also collect your salary level where required to cost an application for research funding. This information is obtained either directly from you or from collaborating institutions. Deakin collects this information for the primary purpose of preparing and submitting applications for research funding and for the secondary purpose of communicating with you about any application for funding and for documenting your collaboration with Deakin researchers.
Your personal information will be shared with other collaborators on the research project and with the external funding body. Your personal information will form part of Deakin’s research records and will be stored in its research information management system and records management system. It will be securely destroyed or deleted in accordance with Deakin’s record retention protocols.
Visitors to our campuses
When you are on our campuses, your personal information is collected in the ways outlined below. Deakin will use this information to enable access to University premises and facilities on campus, to confirm access rights and identity, to enhance the safety of staff, students and visitors to the University's campuses, to protect University property, and for planning, quality assurance and analytics purposes.
Surveillance cameras
The University uses fixed cameras at various locations controlled by the University and unfixed cameras, drones and other devices, including body cameras worn by security personnel, to collect information for security purposes. This may involve the collection of images of you while on campus. These cameras are used to:
- enhance safety, security and protection of individuals and property;
- monitor and analyse use and demand for our facilities;
- and enable investigations of incidents on campus.
Location tracking
Personal device technology allows location-based data to be collected if you enable location based services. Depending on the settings on your personal device, its name may constitute personal information. Deakin uses location based data to monitor and analyse traffic patterns, space usage and allocation, and generally to improve the digital and campus experience. For Deakin staff and students, Deakin digital tools may use location-based services to promote special offers and events and may provide emergency and safety warnings relevant to on-campus locations.
Wi-fi
When you turn on wi-fi on your personal device, Deakin collects your unique device identifier as well as where and when you connect to the wireless network. Deakin uses this information to assist users having connectivity issues, for planning, quality assurance and analytics purposes. Deakin does not disclose this information to third parties, other than its contracted service providers, except where required or authorised by law.
Building access and security system
Access to University premises and facilities may be restricted, and only specific individuals granted access (usually via a staff or student card). The technology underlying the access card system generates records of access enabling an individual’s identity to be validated against other University IT systems.
Information for individuals located in the EU
This information should be read in conjunction with the student or staff privacy statement, as applicable.
Authority
Deakin University manages personal information under the authority of the Deakin University Act 2009 (Vic). It also processes your personal information where relevant to its legitimate interests and its legal and regulatory obligations.
Data Protection Officer
The University Privacy Officer, Shirley Rooney, is Deakin’s Data Protection Officer for purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation 2016 (GDPR).
Data subject rights
You may have the following data subject rights:
- Access: you may receive a copy of the personal information held by Deakin about you.
- Correction: you may request correction of the personal information Deakin holds about you.
- Objection to Processing: you may object to processing if you demonstrate that Deakin's processing of your personal information impacts on your fundamental rights and freedoms as contemplated by the GDPR. Your objection to processing may be denied if Deakin is able to demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds to process personal information which override those rights and freedoms.
- Suspension of Processing: you may request that Deakin suspend the processing of your personal information if:
- you want Deakin to establish the data's accuracy before processing it
- Deakin's use of the data is unlawful but you do not want it erased from Deakin's records
- you need Deakin to hold the data to enable you to establish, exercise or defend legal claims
- you have objected to Deakin's use of your data but Deakin is in the process of verifying if it has overriding legitimate grounds to use it.
- Transfer to you or to a third party: if we hold your personal information in an electronic format (e.g. a database), we will provide it to you, or a third party in a structured commonly used, machine-readable format.
- Withdrawing consent: if Deakin processes your personal information based solely on your consent, you may withdraw that consent, however Deakin may not be able to continue to provide you with certain goods or services. If your withdrawal of consent relates to marketing material, please follow the unsubscribe processes below.
You may exercise your data subject rights by emailing Deakin's Data Protection Officer and providing written details of your request.
Deakin Alumni, Friends and Supporters
Deakin University collects and uses personal information about its alumni, donors, and wider community of friends and supporters. Deakin may collect personal information directly from you or from publicly available sources.
Your personal information is used for the primary purpose of staying connected with you, providing you with services, keeping you informed about activities and opportunities that may be of interest to you, contacting you for marketing and fundraising initiatives and/or accepting and managing your philanthropic support. Deakin may also use your personal information to assist with planning and quality assurance, to invite you to participate in surveys and research, to comply with legislative reporting requirements, and as permitted or required by law.
For these purposes, Deakin may share your personal information with other units of the University and with service providers who are subject to contractual privacy obligations.
Graduation programs, which include the name and award of each Deakin graduate at that graduation ceremony, are a public record of the University.
Deakin also provides an online qualification verification service that confirms if individuals have received a Deakin award. Further information is available at https://apps.deakin.edu.au/gradsearch.
DeakinCo.
DeakinCo. is a division of Deakin University, providing learning and development solutions tailored for business. DeakinCo. additionally offers credential services to validate and accredit skills developed independently of traditional educational institutions.
DeakinCo. collects your personal information when you or your employer request its services. DeakinCo. uses your personal information for the primary purpose of delivering its assessment and credentialing services and when delivering its employment-based courses. It also uses your personal information to stay connected with you and to keep you informed about activities and opportunities both through DeakinCo. and more generally through Deakin University, that may be relevant to your credential and interests. You may also receive marketing and sales information relevant to your employment. Your personal information may be used for planning and quality assurance, for research and otherwise as permitted by law.
DeakinCo. may share your personal information with other units of the University if your credential is part of a pathway into Deakin, but otherwise does not provide your personal information to any third party without your consent unless required by law.
Communications from DeakinCo. will contain an unsubscribe function with which you can ask to receive no further communications.
Prospective Students
Deakin University collects and uses personal information about its prospective students. Your information may be collected by any means, including hard copy, electronic or verbal means. Deakin will, where practicable, collect your information directly from you.
Your personal information is used for the primary purpose of staying connected with you, providing you with services, promote future events, news and course information. Deakin may also use your personal information to assist with planning and quality assurance, to invite you to participate in surveys and research, to comply with legislative reporting requirements, and as permitted or required by law.
For these purposes, Deakin may share your personal information with other areas of the University but otherwise does not provide your personal information to any third party without your consent unless required by law.
In the case of individuals located in China, by submitting an enquiry you consent to Deakin using your personal information to respond to your enquiry and we will not otherwise contact you without your consent.
Individuals applying for admission to Deakin
When you apply to Deakin, we collect information from you directly and also from relevant third parties, including referees, secondary schools, tertiary admission and testing centres and other education providers.
This information is used primarily to assess your eligibility for admission into Deakin and selection for specific courses. If your application is successful, your information will be used to offer you a place in a course and to administer your acceptance or refusal of that place.
You should also expect Deakin to use your information to:
- provide you with information related to your application for admission (e.g. about fees, scholarships, equity and access entry programs, course requirements, housing and accommodation)
- offer you advice and access to student services prior to your enrolment
- determine your eligibility for scholarships, bursaries or similar awards
- provide information on additional opportunities for studying at Deakin
- help us with marketing and fundraising initiatives
- conduct planning and quality assessment activities
- invite you to participate in surveys or research.
As part of the selection process, Deakin will disclose your personal information to the extent necessary to verify your qualifications or experience. On admission, the personal information collected in the application process will form part of your student record and will be managed in accordance with Deakin's Privacy Policy.
Use of contracted service providers
Deakin engages consultants and contractors to provide it with services. Contracted service providers are bound by contract to:
- use personal information provided by Deakin only for the performance of the contracted service
- to have in place administrative and technical measures to keep the personal information secure
- to protect personal information from unauthorised access, use, disclosure, modification or deletion.
Deakin discloses personal information to its consultants and contractors only to the extent required by them to provide the contracted service.
Your use of services provided by a third party may also be governed by that third party’s terms of service and privacy policy. Deakin encourages you to review these before using third party services.
For example, Deakin University employs YouTube's API services as a third-party supplier to host video content on Deakin’s YouTube Channel. By accessing and viewing content on our channel, users acknowledge and agree to be bound by YouTube’s Terms of Service, Google’s Privacy Policy and Google’s Security Settings.
It is important to note that the information collected by third party service providers like Google, such as usage data and personal information, is governed by their policies and depends on how users utilise their services and manage privacy controls.
Access to information by third parties
Deakin does not provide personal information about its staff and students to third parties, other than its contracted service providers, unless we're satisfied that:
- the disclosure is authorised under relevant privacy legislation
- the associated staff member or student has given their consent
- it is required by law to disclose information.
If privacy legislation authorises Deakin to disclose information, we will assess the request on a case-by-case basis and will use our discretion to determine whether to disclose information. Deakin is not legally obligated to disclose personal information when authorised to do so.
Guidance on frequently encountered requests for disclosure of personal information is below.
Parents of students
Deakin frequently receives requests from parents to confirm that their child is attending classes or making good academic progress. We are unable to provide personal information about students to their parents unless the student has given their explicit consent. This is regardless of whether the student in question is under 18 or if the parent is paying their fees and/or expenses.
A student can give their consent by emailing the Division of Student Administration, using their Deakin email account, ensuring that the information below is included.
- Student ID number
- Given name/Surname
- Date of birth
I give permission to Deakin University to disclose information pertaining to my student record to:
- Given name/Surname
- Third-party individual's date of birth
- Relationship to student
- Duration of consent (please specify 'ongoing' or end date in 'DDMMYY' format)
This includes information relating to (remove options that are not applicable):
- All information relating to my student record
- Academic details; enrolment and results
- Financial details; tuition fees
- Collection of Academic transcript/ Letters
Search warrants, subpoenas and informal requests for information
Deakin releases information when legally required to do so. Search warrants, subpoenas and court orders should be served on:
General Counsel
Office of General Counsel
Deakin University
Geelong Waterfront Campus
1 Gheringhap Street
Geelong VIC 3220
Informal request for information must also be addressed to the Office of General Counsel or privacy@deakin.edu.au and must:
- be in writing, contain the agency’s name, address and contact details
- if sent by email, from an email address clearly linked to the organisation or agency
- set out the basis upon which authorisation for release of the information is claimed
- specify what information is required and why it is needed.
Employers and recruitment agencies
Prospective employers and recruitment agencies often seek to verify that a student has received an award (a degree, graduate certificate or graduate diploma) from Deakin.
To facilitate this, Deakin maintains GradSearch, an online qualification verification tool. To search for a graduate, two search items from the following list must be provided: surname / date of birth / student ID. Please note that GradSearch does not provide a full transcript of results.
Unsubscribe requests
To unsubscribe from Deakin publications or mailing lists, please contact the following.
- For publications originating with Deakin Alumni: deakinalumni@deakin.edu.au.
- For publications originating with DeakinCo.: clienthelpdesk@deakinco.com.
- For publications originating with Deakin’s Marketing Division: unsubscribe@deakin.edu.au.
Freedom of information
Requests for access to, and correction of personal information are managed under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic). To make a FOI request, please visit Freedom of Information.
Complaints
If you believe that Deakin has engaged in an act which constitutes an interference with your privacy, you can make a complaint to the University. Complaints must be made within six months of the time that the complainant first became aware of the alleged breach.
A complaint should contain full details of how the individual believes their privacy has been breached, including a thorough description, with names and dates if known. Details of the complaint will be disclosed to the relevant operational unit of the University and/or persons named in the complaint, so that it can be investigated and handled fairly. Details may also be disclosed to others that Deakin believes has information relevant to the complaint. Complaints from individuals who are neither staff nor students of Deakin are investigated and managed pursuant to Deakin's Privacy Policy.
Complaints should be directed as follows:
Mail
Office of General Counsel
Deakin University
Geelong Waterfront Campus
1 Gheringhap Street
Geelong VIC 3220
Contact details and further information
Enquiries about the management of personal information at Deakin should be directed to:
Mail
Office of General Counsel
Deakin University
1 Gheringhap Street
Geelong VIC 3220
Links
Deakin University Privacy Policy
Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic)
Health Records Act 2001 (Vic)
Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner
Office of the Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner