This page details how the Sussex Learning Network within the University of Brighton uses and collects data for the purposes of the Uni Connect Programme which includes Get Career Confident.

The SLN Uni Connect Programme is funded by the Office for Students (OfS) as part of a national initiative to improve students’ access to higher education so that access is not limited by their background, location or characteristics. The programme also equips young people from underrepresented groups to make an informed choice about their options in relation to the full range of progression opportunities.

The SLN Uni Connect is a collaborative programme consisting of the Sussex Learning Network (University of Brighton) who facilitate the programme and a range of schools, sixth forms, further education colleges, universities and other organisations, delivering a programme of activities including Get Career Confident. We also work with other organisations to track, monitor and help evaluate the programme outcomes to understand what works and improve effectiveness.

This privacy notice describes how your personal data is collected and used for the purposes of the SLN Uni Connect programme. The Sussex Learning Network is committed to being transparent about how it collects and uses that data and to meeting its data protection obligations.

Data Controllers

The Data Controllers are the organisations responsible for how your data is processed.

The Sussex Learning Network, University of Brighton is the Uni Connect contract owner, based at Mithras House, Lewes Road. If you would like information about how the University uses your personal data please contact dataprotection@brighton.ac.uk, 01273 642010.

The University of Brighton is registered with the Information Commissioner Office (ICO). Our ICO registration number is: Z5395727.

We work with a range of education providers and other activity providers who provide the SLN Uni Connect programme activities. If you have received activity from your school, sixth form, further education college, who are Uni Connect Data Controllers or a or third party who are processors, you can contact the Sussex Learning Network to signpost you to the relevant Data Protection contact: admin@sussexlearningnetwork.org.uk.

The HEAT Service, part of the University of Kent, acting as a Data Controller, provides an online database to record SLN Uni Connect participant details and their participation in activity. More information can be found in HEAT’s Privacy Notice.

For research purposes the HEAT service links data with HESA information (part of Jisc). Jisc is the body responsible for collecting and disseminating information about higher education in the UK and the designated data body for England (see www.hesa.ac.uk/about for more information). More information can be found here the HESA Privacy Notice.

Data Protection Officer

The Data Protection Officer at the University of Brighton is responsible for advising the University on compliance with Data Protection legislation and monitoring its performance against it. If you have any concerns regarding the way in which the University is processing your personal data, please contact the Data Compliance Team, 01273 642010, dataprotection@brighton.ac.uk.

For the Data Protection Officer contact at your school, sixth form or further education college, the Sussex Learning Network can sign post you to the right contact by emailing: admin@sussexlearningnetwork.org.uk.

If you would like to enquire about data protection with the HEAT Service (University of Kent), including Freedom of Information requests, Subject Access Requests and Data Subject Rights, enquiries can be made to University of Kent by emailing dataprotection@kent.ac.uk. More information can be found via HEAT’s privacy notice: https://heat.ac.uk/privacy-notice/

For further information about data protection with HESA (part of Jisc), including contact details for HESA’s Data Protection Officer please see https://www.hesa.ac.uk/about/website/privacy. If you have questions about how your HESA Information is used, please contact data.protection@hesa.ac.uk.

Purpose for processing and lawful basis

The information (data) shared will be used to:

  • Target specific activities for specific groups of young people.
  • Monitor progress of the various Uni Connect funded activities and also for the overall evaluation of the programme, measured against the aims/objectives/targets set by the OfS.
  • Track the progression of the Uni Connect cohort year on year.

The Sussex Learning Network, under Article 6 of UK GDPR has identified its lawful basis for processing Uni Connect participant data: Public Task 6 (1) (e) processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.

As we also use your special category data, we must identify a further basis for processing that data. The processing is necessary for: reasons of substantial public interest and is proportionate, respects the right to data protection and provides suitable and specific measures to safeguard the rights and interests of data subjects – Article 9(2)(g). Our substantial public interest reason is equality of opportunity or treatment.

We usually collect the following personal data:

  • Name
  • Date of Birth
  • Postcode
  • Sex
  • Year group
  • Educational Institute
  • Free school meal status / bursary status/ Free College Meal status
  • Pupil premium status
  • In care / care leaver status
  • Young carer status
  • Refugee / Asylum Seeker status

Special categories of personal data:

  • Ethnicity
  • Gypsy / Traveller
  • Tracking data –we keep data on the type of activity the learner engages with, to allow us to monitor learners’ participation as well as future education choices.

For some specific projects we may request additional data:

  • Student number/ Unique Learner Number
  • Course of study
  • Predicted & actual GCSE attainment
  • Learner destination information
  • Parent name, contact number and email address
  • Student email address

Special categories of personal data:

  • Disability / SEND / EHCP
  • Evaluation data – feedback that learners give us about their attitudes to education and about the activities they take part in.

How will this data be collected and stored?

  • Subject to data sharing agreements being in place, we collect student data as outlined above directly from programme partners including schools, colleges and activity providers who also complete activity logs detailing learner engagement in Uni Connect activities.
  • If you receive a Travel Bursary you will have consented to and shared your own personal information with us.
  • If you take part in any films you will have provided your direct consent for this.
  • We also collect the above data even if you have not participated in programme activity, so that we can compare the difference an activity makes against those who have not participated.
  • These are shared to the Sussex Learning Network Data Officer. Data will be shared via password-protected files or shared to secure online drives, with controlled access.
  • We will also enter personal data on to a trusted third party database for which we have a Data Sharing Agreement in place, the Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT). Using this personal data, HEAT will be able to track participants’ progress through the education system.
    For research purposes HEAT links data with The Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) (part of Jisc). 

What will we use the data for?

The Sussex Learning Network will use the personal data, tracking data and evaluation data to plan and manage activities, monitor the work we are doing and to conduct research into the impact and effectiveness of its activities. Data sharing between the Sussex Learning Network and these agencies allows us to link participant data with information about what students go on to do. This means we can explore in detail the relationship between participation in the programme and student success.

Will the data be shared with anyone else? (Third Parties)

HEAT

We are required by our funders (OfS) to report on progress via the Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT) database. The HEAT Service stores and processes information relevant to individuals associated with the provision of activities. Personal information is processed to assist with the efficient delivery of engagement and evaluation of the effectiveness of engagement. HEAT links the information provided with ‘outcome’ data via administrative datasets. More information about who HEAT shares data with be found via their privacy notice: https://heat.ac.uk/privacy-notice/

HESA (part of Jisc)

HEAT shares data with HESA (part of Jisc) to explore the relationship between engagement and student success with the aim to improve future outcomes. Jisc is an official source of data about UK higher education. More information, including which organisations HESA shares data with, can be viewed on their privacy notice: HESA Privacy Notice https://www.hesa.ac.uk/about/regulation/data-protection/notices#linkg

Other organisations

 

Depending on the programme you are on your data may be shared with a delivery partner organisation. If you are receiving activity from Get Career Confident, your data will be shared with Elev8 and or My Future Starts Here East Sussex who are our delivery partners working with a network of qualified careers advisors acting as data processors.

We may use third parties to undertake evaluation and they will be subject to data sharing agreements where individual subject data protections and rights will be maintained.

We may share certain aggregated and anonymous data (data about many participants that is grouped together, in which individuals can’t be identified) with Sussex Learning Network partners and wider educational partners, local authorities, research organisations and policy makers in local and central government. We will share anonymous data with our funder, OfS, for monitoring and reporting purposes.

Your data is not routinely transferred outside the UK. However, if it becomes necessary to do so, we ensure appropriate contracts or other safeguards are in place and ensure compliance with data protection legislation.

How long will we keep the data for?

 

All personal data held directly by the Sussex Learning Network will be kept for the duration of the funded programme and a maximum of two additional years – currently until August 2028. This date can be subject to extension based on the reissuing of the funding contract with the Office for Students. After this time, personal data will be anonymised, which means that learners will no longer be able to be identified from the data and identifiable data will be securely deleted.

HEAT’s data retention policy can be accessed here: https://heat.ac.uk/privacy-notice The retention policy for Jisc (your HESA Information), can be accessed here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/about/regulation/data-protection/notices#linkg

Your educational institution will have their own retention schedules.

Data subject's rights

 

As a data subject, you have a number of rights–this includes right to access, right to rectification, and right to erasure in some circumstances.

At the University of Brighton, further information can be accessed here: https://www.brighton.ac.uk/about-us/statistics-and-legal/requesting-information/index.aspx, or contact the data compliance team on 01273 642010, dataprotection@brighton.ac.uk.

For Data subject rights at your school, sixth form or further education college, the Sussex Learning Network can signpost you. Please contact the Sussex Learning Network in the first instance: admin@sussexlearningnetwork.org.uk.

If you would like to enquire about data protection with the HEAT Service (University of Kent), including Freedom of Information requests, Subject Access Requests and Data Subject Rights, can be made to the HEAT Service Team in the first instance by contacting dataprotection@kent.ac.uk More information can be found via HEAT’s privacy notice: https://heat.ac.uk/privacy-notice.

If you have questions about how your HESA Information is used, please contact data.protection@hesa.ac.uk.

Changes to this privacy notice

We keep our privacy notices under regular review. This privacy notice was last updated in November 2025.

Other privacy notices

We do our utmost to protect your privacy. Please be aware that other privacy notices exist within the university in respect of data held including, but not limited to, activities in relation to your enquiries, application, current students, alumni and use of our website: www.brighton.ac.uk/privacy.

In addition to the university’s privacy notice, more information about the Sussex Learning Network can be found here www.sussexlearningnetwork.org.uk.

Privacy policies for the use of our websites can be found here:

Sussex Learning Network https://www.sussexlearningnetwork.org.uk/privacy-policy.

Get Career Confident https://www.getcareerconfident.co.uk/privacy-policy.

 

 

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