Data Protection

The protection of personal data is important to us. We therefore process personal data in accordance with the provisions of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other legal requirements. With the following information in our privacy policy, we would like to inform you comprehensively about the handling of your personal data and your rights in this context.

1. Name and address of the controller

Controller for the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), other data protection laws applicable in Member states of the European Union and other provisions related to data protection is:

International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH
Schlossplatz 19
76131 Karlsruhe
Germany

+49 (0)721 608-47880
sekretariat∂idschools.kit.edu
http://www.idschools.kit.edu

2. Name and address of data protection commissioner

The data protection officer of the controller is:

Herr Steven Bösel
ENSECUR GmbH

Kaiser Straße 86
76133 Karlsruhe
Germany

+49 (0)721 180356 70
dsb-ID-KIT∂ensecur.de
https://www.ensecur.de/

3. Definitions

The data protection declaration of the International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH is based on the terms used by the European legislator for the adoption of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Our data protection declaration should be legible and understandable for the general public, as well as our customers and business partners. To ensure this, we would like to first explain the terminology used.

In this data protection declaration, we use, inter alia, the following terms:

3.1 Personal data

Personal data means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (“data subject”). An identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.

3.2 Data subject

Data subject is any identified or identifiable natural person, whose personal data is processed by the controller responsible for the processing.

3.3 Processing

Processing is any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means, such as collection, recording, organisation, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction.

3.4 Restriction of processing

Restriction of processing is the marking of stored personal data with the aim of limiting their processing in the future.

3.5 Profiling

Profiling means any form of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to a natural person, in particular to analyse or predict aspects concerning that natural person's performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behaviour, location or movements.

3.6 Pseudonymisation

Pseudonymisation is the processing of personal data in such a manner that the personal data can no longer be attributed to a specific data subject without the use of additional information, provided that such additional information is kept separately and is subject to technical and organisational measures to ensure that the personal data are not attributed to an identified or identifiable natural person.

3.7 Controller or controller responsible for the processing

Controller or controller responsible for the processing is the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by Union or Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by Union or Member State law.

3.8 Processor

Processor is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller.

3.9 Recipient

Recipient is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or another body, to which the personal data are disclosed, whether a third party or not. However, public authorities which may receive personal data in the framework of a particular inquiry in accordance with Union or Member State law shall not be regarded as recipients; the processing of those data by those public authorities shall be in compliance with the applicable data protection rules according to the purposes of the processing.

3.10 Third party

Third party is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or body other than the data subject, controller, processor and persons who, under the direct authority of the controller or processor, are authorised to process personal data.

3.11 Consent

Consent of the data subject is any freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the data subject's wishes by which they, by a statement or by a clear affirmative action, signifies agreement to the processing of personal data relating to them.

 

4. Security

To protect your personal data from accidental or intentional manipulation, loss, destruction, or unauthorized access, we implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures. These include, among other things, access controls, encryption technologies, as well as regular security reviews and updates. Your data is transmitted exclusively using secure TLS 1.3 encryption by default. If necessary, TLS 1.2 is used as a fallback. Older versions of TLS are not supported for security reasons. Our security measures are continuously adapted to the state of the art and improved to ensure a high level of protection for your data.

 

5. Creating and editing your application profile

We offer applicants the opportunity to apply online for our study programs. The application is voluntary. When using the application form, we process the information you provide (mandatory fields of the application: Form of address, first name, surname, date of birth, nationality, place and country of birth, address, mobile phone number and e-mail address, application documents) within the applicant selection process (Legal Basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR). After completion of the applicant selection process, your applicant data will be deleted within three years in the event of a negative decision.

You can modify and edit your application profile within the application period as long as you do not submit your application. After submitting your application, you will only have reading access until the end of the application process. Of course, you can withdraw your application at any time and we will delete your application and all associated documents - apart from the deletion request itself - immediately.

If candidates do not submit their application within the application period, they also will only be granted reading access until the end of the application process.

5.1 Collection, processing, and use of personal data

By creating an application profile and submitting your application, you agree to the electronic processing of your personal data and their transmission to the administration office of the Graduate School on Functional Materials as well as to the Principle Investigators. Your personal data will be used for processing your application at the Graduate School on Functional Materials exclusively. They will be treated strictly confidentially in accordance with the legal regulations and will not be disclosed to third parties. (Legal Basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR).

5.2 Deletion of personal data

If your application is not successful, your personal data will be deleted automatically four months after the application deadline according to the Federal Data Protection Act. If you want to withdraw your application during the ongoing proceedings, please send an email to alexandra.pehle∂kit.edu. Then, your application will no longer be taken into consideration. Your data will be deleted four months after the application deadline. (Legal Basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR). We have a legitimate interest in retaining the application documents until it is certain that the application process has been completed and no further legal consequences can arise from it.

 

6. Cookies

Cookies are small data files stored on a user’s device to enhance website functionality, track user behavior, or store preferences. In online applicant management, cookies can be useful for session management, user authentication, and improving the application process.

However, because data protection is a top priority, this website operates without cookies, ensuring that no personal data is stored or tracked through them.

If you have any further questions relating to data protection, please do not hesitate to send an Email to sekretariat∂idschools.kit.edu.

 

7. Matomo web analysis

We use the web analysis service Matomo (www.matomo.org) on this website.

We use Matomo for the purpose of recording and analysing the activities of our visitors on our website and thus making the website more user-friendly and optimising it so that we can better achieve our marketing goals. For example, we can better understand when visitors access our site, which pages they view and where they access them from. In addition, we can also measure which specific actions website visitors take (e.g. which buttons they click on, which areas are frequently viewed, which purchases are made, etc.).

We use this data to create anonymised user profiles for the aforementioned purposes and evaluate them.  We process the data collected using Matomo (including your anonymised IP address) on our servers in Germany and do not pass it on to others.

The legal basis for the reach analysis is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. As the website operator, we have a legitimate interest in analysing the user behaviour of our visitors in order to improve our website and our marketing measures.

 

8. Collection of general data and information

This website collects a series of general data and information when a data subject or automated system calls up the website. This general data and information are stored in the server log files. Collected may be:

  • the browser types and versions used,
  • the date and time of access to the Internet site,
  • the page visited
  • the visited sub-websites,
  • an Internet protocol address (IP address), and
  • any other similar data and information that may be used in the event of attacks on our information technology systems.

When using these general data and information, the International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH does not draw any conclusions about the data subject. Rather, this information is needed to (1) deliver the content of our website correctly, (2) optimize the content of our website as well as its advertisement, (3) ensure the long-term viability of our information technology systems and website technology, and (4) provide law enforcement authorities with the information necessary for criminal prosecution in case of a cyber-attack. Therefore, the International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH analyzes anonymously collected data and information statistically, with the aim of increasing the data protection and data security of our enterprise, and to ensure an optimal level of protection for the personal data we process. The anonymous data of the server log files are stored separately from all personal data provided by a data subject.

(Legal Basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR).

 

9. Contact possibility via the website

Apart from the direct contact option via e-mail, the online applicant portal of the Hector School does not offer a contact form.

 

10. Your rights as a data subject
10.1 Right of confirmation

Each data subject shall have the right granted by the European legislator to obtain from the controller the confirmation as to whether or not personal data concerning them are being processed. If a data subject wishes to avail themself of this right of confirmation, they may, at any time, contact any employee of the controller.

10.2 Right of access

Each data subject shall have the right granted by the European legislator to obtain from the controller free information about their personal data stored at any time and a copy of this information. Furthermore, the European directives and regulations grant the data subject access to the following information:

  • the purposes of the processing;
  • the categories of personal data concerned;
  • the recipients or categories of recipients to whom the personal data have been or will be disclosed, in particular recipients in third countries or international organisations;
  • where possible, the envisaged period for which the personal data will be stored, or, if not possible, the criteria used to determine that period;
  • the existence of the right to request from the controller rectification or erasure of personal data, or restriction of processing of personal data concerning the data subject, or to object to such processing;
  • the existence of the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority;
  • where the personal data are not collected from the data subject, any available information as to their source;
  • the existence of automated decision-making, including profiling, referred to in Article 22(1) and (4) of the GDPR and, at least in those cases, meaningful information about the logic involved, as well as the significance and envisaged consequences of such processing for the data subject.

If a data subject wishes to avail themself of this right of access, they may, at any time, contact any employee of the controller.

10.3 Right to rectification

Each data subject shall have the right granted by the European legislator to obtain from the controller without undue delay the rectification of inaccurate personal data concerning them. Taking into account the purposes of the processing, the data subject shall have the right to have incomplete personal data completed, including by means of providing a supplementary statement.

If a data subject wishes to exercise this right to rectification, they may, at any time, contact any employee of the controller.

10.4 Right to erasure (Right to be forgotten)

Each data subject shall have the right granted by the European legislator to obtain from the controller the erasure of personal data concerning them without undue delay, and the controller shall have the obligation to erase personal data without undue delay where one of the following grounds applies, as long as the processing is not necessary:

  • The personal data are no longer necessary in relation to the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed.
  • The data subject withdraws consent to which the processing is based according to point (a) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR, or point (a) of Article 9(2) of the GDPR, and where there is no other legal ground for the processing.
  • The data subject objects to the processing pursuant to Article 21(1) of the GDPR and there are no overriding legitimate grounds for the processing, or the data subject objects to the processing pursuant to Article 21(2) of the GDPR.
  • The personal data have been unlawfully processed.
  • The personal data must be erased for compliance with a legal obligation in Union or Member State law to which the controller is subject.
  • The personal data have been collected in relation to the offer of information society services referred to in Article 8(1) of the GDPR.
    If one of the aforementioned reasons applies, and a data subject wishes to request the erasure of personal data stored by the International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH, they may, at any time, contact any employee of the controller. An employee of International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH shall promptly ensure that the erasure request is complied with immediately.

Where the controller has made personal data public and is obliged pursuant to Article 17(1) to erase the personal data, the controller, taking account of available technology and the cost of implementation, shall take reasonable steps, including technical measures, to inform other controllers processing the personal data that the data subject has requested erasure by such controllers of any links to, or copy or replication of, those personal data, as far as processing is not required. An employee of the International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH will arrange the necessary measures in individual cases.

10.5 Right of restriction of processing

Each data subject shall have the right granted by the European legislator to obtain from the controller restriction of processing where one of the following applies:

  • The accuracy of the personal data is contested by the data subject, for a period enabling the controller to verify the accuracy of the personal data.
  • The processing is unlawful and the data subject opposes the erasure of the personal data and requests instead the restriction of their use instead.
  • The controller no longer needs the personal data for the purposes of the processing, but they are required by the data subject for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
  • The data subject has objected to processing pursuant to Article 21(1) of the GDPR pending the verification whether the legitimate grounds of the controller override those of the data subject.

If one of the aforementioned conditions is met, and a data subject wishes to request the restriction of the processing of personal data stored by the International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH, they may at any time contact any employee of the controller. The employee of the International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH will arrange the restriction of the processing.

10.6 Right to data portability

Each data subject shall have the right granted by the European legislator, to receive the personal data concerning them, which was provided to a controller, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format. They shall have the right to transmit those data to another controller without hindrance from the controller to which the personal data have been provided, as long as the processing is based on consent pursuant to point (a) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR or point (a) of Article 9(2) of the GDPR, or on a contract pursuant to point (b) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR, and the processing is carried out by automated means, as long as the processing is not necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.

Furthermore, in exercising their right to data portability pursuant to Article 20(1) of the GDPR, the data subject shall have the right to have personal data transmitted directly from one controller to another, where technically feasible and when doing so does not adversely affect the rights and freedoms of others.

In order to assert the right to data portability, the data subject may at any time contact any employee of the International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH.

10.7 Right to object

Each data subject shall have the right granted by the European legislator to object, on grounds relating to their particular situation, at any time, to processing of personal data concerning them, which is based on point (e) or (f) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR. This also applies to profiling based on these provisions.

The International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH shall no longer process the personal data in the event of the objection, unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override the interests, rights and freedoms of the data subject, or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

If the International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH processes personal data for direct marketing purposes, the data subject shall have the right to object at any time to processing of personal data concerning them for such marketing. This applies to profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing. If the data subject objects to the International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH to the processing for direct marketing purposes, the International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH will no longer process the personal data for these purposes.

In addition, the data subject has the right, on grounds relating to their particular situation, to object to processing of personal data concerning them by the International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH for scientific or historical research purposes, or for statistical purposes pursuant to Article 89(1) of the GDPR, unless the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out for reasons of public interest.

In order to exercise the right to object, the data subject may contact any employee of the International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH. In addition, the data subject is free in the context of the use of information society services, and notwithstanding Directive 2002/58/EC, to use their right to object by automated means using technical specifications.

10.8 Automated individual decision-making, including profiling

The International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH does not use automated individual decision-making or profiling.

10.9 Right to withdraw data protection consent

Each data subject shall have the right granted by the European legislator to withdraw their consent to processing of their personal data at any time.

If the data subject wishes to exercise the right to withdraw the consent, they may, at any time, contact any employee of the International Department des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie gGmbH.

10.10 Right to lodge a complaint

As a data subject, you can contact the competent supervisory authority at any time if you have a complaint. The following supervisory authority is responsible for us as the controller

Landesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz und die Informationsfreiheit Baden-Württemberg: E-mail: poststelle ∂does-not-exist.lfdi bwl de

 

11. Changes to our privacy policy

In order to ensure that our privacy policy always complies with the current legal requirements, we reserve the right to make changes at any time. This also applies in the event that the privacy policy has to be adapted due to new or revised services, for example new services. The new privacy policy will then apply the next time you visit our website.

Last update: 17.03.25

 

12. Do you have any questions about data protection?

If you have any questions about data protection, please contact our data protection officer.