Privacy Policy

SwissCore is the Swiss information and liaison office for European policies and programs in research, innovation and education (ERI).

With this Privacy Policy, we provide information on which personal data we process in connection with our activities and operations, including our swisscore.org website. In particular, we provide information on why, how and where we process which personal data. We also provide information about the rights of persons whose data we process, i.e., the rights of data subjects. For additional and other activities and operations, further legal texts may apply.

1. Contact Addresses

SwissCore
Rue du Trône 98
1050 Brussels
BELGIUM

infodesk@swisscore.org

SwissCore is a branch office of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).

2.1 Terms

Personal data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable natural person.

Processing includes any handling of personal data, regardless of the means and procedures used, such as adapting, archiving, arranging, collecting, comparing, deleting, destroying, disclosing, disseminating, linking, modifying, obtaining, organizing, reading, recording, retrieving, storing, and using personal data.

A data subject is a natural person about whom we process personal data.

We process personal data in accordance with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and any other applicable data protection law.

We process personal data for at least one of the following reasons as a legal basis:

  • Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR for the necessary processing of personal data for the performance of a contract with the data subject and for the implementation of pre-contractual measures.
  • Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR for the necessary processing of personal data in order to protect our legitimate interests or those of third parties, except where such interests are overridden by the fundamental freedoms and rights and interests of the data subject. Legitimate interests are, in particular, our interest in being able to carry out our activities and operations in a permanent, user-friendly, secure and reliable manner, and to communicate about them, to ensure information security, to protect against misuse, to enforce our own legal claims and to comply with Swiss law.
  • Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c GDPR for the necessary processing of personal data to fulfill a legal obligation to which we are subject under any applicable law of Belgium and other member states of the European Economic Area (EEA)
  • Art. 6 para. 1 lit. e GDPR for the necessary processing of personal data for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest.
  • Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR for the processing of personal data with the consent of the data subject.
  • Art. 6 para. 1 lit. d GDPR for the necessary processing of personal data in order to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person.

3. Type, Scope and Purpose

We process the personal data that is required in order to be able to carry out our activities and operations in a permanent, user-friendly, secure and reliable manner. Such personal data may in particular fall into the categories of browser and device data, contact and inventory data, content data, economic, political and scientific data, location data, meta and usage data as well as contract and payment data.We process personal data for the duration required for the respective purpose(s) or by law. Personal data that no longer needs to be processed is anonymized or deleted.We may have personal data processed by third parties. We may process personal data jointly with third parties or transfer it to third parties. Such third parties are, in particular, specialized providers whose services we use. We also guarantee data protection for such third parties.We only process personal data in principle with the consent of the data subjects. If and to the extent that processing is permitted for other legal reasons, we may refrain from obtaining consent. For example, we may process personal data without consent in order to fulfill a contract, to comply with legal obligations, or to protect overriding interests.We also process personal data that we receive from third parties, obtain from publicly accessible sources, or collect in the course of our activities and operations, if and to the extent that such processing is permitted for legal reasons.

4. Communication

We process personal data in order to be able to communicate with third parties. In this context, we process in particular data that a data subject transmits when making contact, for example by post or e-mail. We may store such data in an address book or with comparable tools.Third parties who transmit data about other persons are obliged to guarantee data protection for such data subjects. To this end, the accuracy of the personal data transmitted must be ensured, among other things.

5. Applications

We process personal data about applicants to the extent necessary to assess their suitability for an employment relationship or for the subsequent execution of an employment contract. The required personal data results in particular from the information requested, for example as part of a job advertisement. We may publish job advertisements with the help of suitable third parties, for example in electronic and printed media or on job portals and job platforms.

We also process the personal data that applicants voluntarily provide or publish, in particular as part of cover letters, CVs and other application documents, as well as online profiles.

We use selected services from suitable third parties to advertise jobs via E-Recruitment and to enable and manage applications.

We use in particular:

  • Abacus Umantis: Recruitment and other talent management; provider: Abacus Umantis AG (Switzerland) and other Abacus Group companies (Switzerland, Germany); information on data protection: Privacy Policy.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure data security appropriate to the respective risk. With our measures, we guarantee in particular the confidentiality, availability, traceability and integrity of the processed personal data, however, we cannot guarantee absolute data security.

Access to our website and our other online presence takes place using transport encryption (SSL / TLS, in particular with the Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, abbreviated to HTTPS). Most browsers indicate transport encryption with a small padlock in the address bar.

7. Personal Data Abroad

We process personal data in principle in the European Economic Area (EEA). However, we may also export or transfer personal data to other countries, in particular to process it or have it processed there.

We may export personal data to all countries provided that the local law ensures adequate data protection according to a decision of the European Commission.

We may transfer personal data to countries whose laws do not guarantee adequate data protection, provided that data protection is guaranteed for other reasons, in particular on the basis of standard data protection clauses or with other suitable guarantees. Exceptionally, we may export personal data to countries without adequate or appropriate data protection if the special requirements under data protection law are met, for example the express consent of the data subjects or a direct connection with the conclusion or execution of a contract. We will be happy to provide data subjects with information about any guarantees or provide a copy of any guarantees upon request.

8. Rights of Data Subjects

8.1 Data Protection Rights

We grant data subjects all rights in accordance with the applicable data protection law. Data subjects have the following rights in particular:

  • Information: Data subjects may request information as to whether we process personal data about them and, if so, what personal data is involved. Data subjects also receive the information required to assert their data protection claims and ensure transparency. This includes the processed personal data, but also information on the purpose of processing, the duration of storage, any export or transfer of data to other countries, and the origin of the personal data, among other things.
  • Correction and Restriction: Data subjects can have incorrect personal data corrected, incomplete data completed and the processing of their data restricted.
  • Deletion and Objection: Data subjects can have personal data deleted («Rght to be forgotten») and object to the processing of their data with effect for the future.
  • Data Disclosure and Data Transfer: Data subjects may request the disclosure of personal data or the transfer of their data to another controller.

We may defer, restrict or refuse the exercise of data subjects’ rights to the extent permitted by law. We may inform data subjects of any requirements that must be met in order to exercise their rights under data protection law. We may for example refuse to provide information in whole or in part with reference to the protection of other persons. We may for example also refuse to delete personal data in whole or in part with reference to statutory retention obligations.

We are obliged to take appropriate measures to identify data subjects who request information or assert other rights. Data subjects are obliged to cooperate in the identification process.

Data subjects have the right to enforce their data protection rights through legal action or by lodging a complaint with a competent data protection authority, in particular with the Belgium Data Protection Authority.

9. Use of the Website

9.1 Cookies

We may use cookies. Cookies – our own cookies (first-party cookies) as well as cookies from third parties whose services we use (third-party cookies) – is data that is stored in the browser. Such stored data need not be limited to traditional cookies in text form.

Cookies can be stored in the browser temporarily as «session cookies» or for a certain period of time as permanent cookies. «Session cookies» are automatically deleted when the browser is closed. Permanent cookies have a specific storage period. In particular, cookies make it possible to recognize a browser the next time it visits our website and thus, for example, to measure the reach of our website.

Cookies can be completely or partially deactivated and deleted at any time in the browser settings. Without cookies, our website may no longer be fully available. We actively request – at least if and insofar as necessary – explicit consent to the use of cookies.

For cookies that are used to measure success and reach or for advertising, a general objection («opt-out») is possible for numerous services via AdChoices (Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada), Network Advertising Initiative (NAI), YourAdChoices (Digital Advertising Alliance) or Your Online Choices (European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance, EDAA).

9.2 Logging

We may log at least the following information for each access to our website, provided that this information is transmitted to our digital infrastructure during such access: Date and time including time zone, IP address, access status (HTTP status code), operating system including user interface and version, browser including language and version, individual sub-page of our website accessed including amount of data transferred, last website accessed in the same browser window (referrer).

We record such information, which may also constitute personal data, in log files. The information is required in order to provide our online presence in a permanent, user-friendly and reliable manner. The information is also required to ensure data security – also by third parties or with the help of third parties.

9.3 Tracking Pixels

We can integrate tracking pixels into our online presence. Tracking pixels are also known as web beacons. Tracking pixels – also from third parties whose services we use – are usually small, invisible images or scripts formulated in JavaScript that are automatically retrieved when our online presence is accessed. Tracking pixels can be used to collect at least the same information as log files.

10. Notifications and Messages

We send notifications and messages by e-mail and via other communication channels such as instant messaging or SMS.

10.1 Success and Reach Measurement

Notifications and messages may contain web links or tracking pixels that record whether an individual message has been opened and which web links have been clicked on. Such web links and tracking pixels can also record the use of notifications and messages on a personal basis. We require this statistical recording of usage to measure success and reach in order to be able to send notifications and messages in an effective, user-friendly, permanent, secure and reliable manner based on the needs and reading habits of the recipients.

You must in principle consent to the use of your e-mail address and your other contact addresses, unless the use is permitted for other legal reasons. We may use the «double opt-in» procedure to obtain double-confirmed consent. In this case, you will receive a message with instructions for double confirmation. We may log consents obtained, including IP address and timestamp, for evidence and security reasons.

You can in principle object to receiving notifications and messages such as newsletters at any time. With such an objection, you can also object to the statistical recording of usage for measuring success and reach. Necessary notifications and messages in connection with our activities and operations remain reserved.

10.3 Service Providers for Notifications and Messages

We send notifications and messages with the help of specialized service providers.

We use in particular:

11. Social Media

We are present on social media platforms and other online platforms in order to communicate with interested parties and provide information about our activities and operations. In connection with such platforms, personal data may also be processed outside the European Economic Area (EEA).

The general terms and conditions (GTC) and terms of use as well as privacy policies and other provisions of the individual operators of such platforms also apply. In particular, these provisions provide information about the rights of data subjects directly vis-à-vis the respective platform, including, for example, the right to information.

12. Third-Party Services

We use services from specialized third parties in order to be able to carry out our activities and operations in a permanent, user-friendly, secure and reliable manner. Among other things, we can use such services to embed functions and content in our website. In the case of such embedding, the services used collect the IP addresses of the users at least temporarily for technical reasons.

For necessary security, statistical and technical purposes, third parties whose services we use may process data in connection with our activities and operations in aggregated, anonymized or pseudonymized form. This is, for example, performance or usage data in order to be able to offer the respective service.

We use in particular:

12.1 Digital Infrastructure

We use services from specialized third parties in order to be able to make use of the necessary digital infrastructure in connection with our activities and operations. These include, for example, hosting and storage services from selected providers.

We use in particular:

12.2 Digital Audio and Video Content

We use services from specialized third parties to enable the direct playback of digital audio and video content such as music or podcasts.

We use in particular:

12.3 Fonts

We use third-party services to embed selected fonts as well as icons, logos and symbols on our website.

We use in particular:

13. Extensions for our Website

We use extensions for our website in order to be able to use additional functions. We may use selected services from suitable providers or use such extensions on our own digital infrastructure.

We use in particular:

14. Success and Reach Measurement

We try to determine how our online offering is used. In this context, we can, for example, measure the success and reach of our activities and operations as well as the effect of third-party links to our website. We can also, for example, test and compare how different parts or versions of our online offering are used («A/B test» method). Based on the results of the success and reach measurement, we can in particular correct errors, strengthen popular content or make improvements to our online offering.

In most cases, the IP addresses of individual users are stored in order to measure success and reach. In this case, IP addresses are generally truncated («IP masking») in order to comply with the principle of data minimization through the corresponding pseudonymization.

Cookies may be used to measure success and reach and user profiles may be created. Any user profiles created include, for example, the individual pages visited or content viewed on our website, information on the size of the screen or browser window and the – at least approximate – location. In principle, any user profiles are created exclusively in pseudonymized form and are not used to identify individual users. Individual third-party services with which users are registered may be able to assign the use of our online offering to the user account or user profile with the respective service.

We use in particular:

14. Final Provisions

We may amend and supplement this privacy policy at any time. We will provide information about such amendments and additions in an appropriate form, in particular by publishing the current privacy policy on our website.