Information we collect and use about you
When you register with us, we collect your name and email address.
When you submit an application for a job vacancy, we collect your name, postal address, email address, telephone number, National Insurance number, visa status, employment history, education history, professional qualifications, references, equalities information, PVG membership details and relevant criminal convictions.
Why we process this information, and our lawful basis
We collect and use your personal information at recruitment for the purposes of staff employment and equalities monitoring.
There are several lawful bases on which the University routinely processes your personal information. These are:
- to fulfil the University’s contractual relationship with you;
- to comply with our legal obligations under employment, equalities, health and safety, immigration, safeguarding and higher education governance legislation; and
- in the employment of staff for the University’s statutory powers to provide teaching, promote research and administer the University.
Disclosing your information
The University will disclose your information to referees cited in your application when we need to take up a reference as part of the recruitment process. For senior appointments, the University may seek references from other relevant third parties.
Your application will be given to all members of the recruitment panel, including any external members who are not employed by the University. The information on applicants provided to panel members does not include equalities information or information on relevant criminal convictions. Relevant criminal convictions will be considered at the offer stage of the recruitment process.
The third party suppliers we use for IT support, including the supplier of our online recruitment solution, Hireserve Limited, also have access to your personal information in order to provide that service to the University.
We use a certified digital identity service provider to process some right to work checks. This process involves automated machine-based checks with human re-assessment where required.
We may transfer your personal information to countries and organisations outside the UK where necessary to administer the University. We have agreements in place with our partners to safeguard your information.
We may disclose personal information to other recipients in exceptional circumstances or when required to do so by law.
How long your information is kept
Personal information about applicants is held for 13 months from your last login to the system. We will continue to retain equalities information after the deletion of your personal details for the purpose of equality monitoring: this information is anonymised to protect your privacy.
Once an applicant takes up employment with the University of Aberdeen, we will compile a file relating to their employment that includes the personal information gathered during recruitment. Details of how we use and manage that information is provided in our staff privacy notice.
Last updated: 18 May 2023