This privacy notice explains when and why we collect personal information about you if you are applying for a job with us and how we will use this information including the ways we might share this with others.  It also explains how we keep your information secure and the rights you have in relation to the information we hold about you. 

This Notice does not form part of your terms and conditions of employment or other contract to provide services, nor is any part of it intended to have contractual effect.

Data collected when an application for a job is made will be used for the purposes of managing the recruitment process and to comply with immigration and employment laws.

We collect and use your information for the following purposes.

Purpose 1: Managing the recruitment process.

We collect and use your information to: 

• receive your application form and supporting material and any additional information obtained during the recruitment and selection process.
• process the information received to decide whether you meet the basic requirements to be shortlisted for the role that you have applied for
• invite you for an interview
• decide whether to offer you the role
• take up references (if relevant to the role you have applied for) before confirming your appointment.

Purpose 2: Comply with immigration and employment legislation.

We collect and use your information to: 

• check a successful applicant's eligibility to work in the UK before employment starts.
• take up references and carry out a criminal record check (if relevant to the role you have applied for) and carry out other checks (if relevant to the role) before confirming your appointment.

Purpose 3: To monitor equality, diversity and inclusion.

We collect and use your information to: 

• enquire about your medical or health conditions, including whether or not you have a disability for which the organisation needs to make reasonable adjustments
• monitor equal opportunities information including information about your ethnic origin, sexual orientation and religion or belief.

The legal bases that we use in order to legally process the information you provide to us during the recruitment process is:

Contract Article 6 (1)(b). The Purpose is necessary for the performance of a contract with you or to take steps, at your request, before entering into such a contract. This is the contract between the University and its students,

This legal basis will be used to achieve the following purposes:

• Purpose 1: Managing the recruitment process.

Legal Obligation Article 6 (1)(c). The processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation. This includes the return of statistical data and reports to satisfy various agencies that the University’s academic standards and funding arrangements are sufficient, and our obligations are being met.

This legal basis will be used to achieve the following purposes:

• Purpose 2: Comply with immigration and employment legislation.

Public Task Article 6 (1)(e). BNU will process your personal data in order to carry out our tasks in the public interest in our capacity as a Higher Education Institution to achieve the following purposes:

This legal basis will be used to achieve the following purposes:

• Purpose 3: To monitor equality, diversity and inclusion.

Special Category Data

For the processing of special category data 

Where data is being used includes special category data, the University is relying on UK GDPR Article 9(2)(b) “processing is necessary for the purposes of carrying out the obligations and exercising specific rights of the controller or of the data subject in the field of employment...”

• Purpose 2: Comply with immigration and employment legislation.

For some roles, the University is obliged to seek information about criminal convictions and offences. Where the University seeks this information, it does so because it is necessary for it to carry out its obligations and exercise specific rights in relation to employment. 

To contact UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) in order to administer relevant recruitment checks and procedures.

• Purpose 3: To monitor equality, diversity and inclusion.

As part of the application process you may disclose sensitive personal data when providing your personal data about ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or religion or other beliefs, this is done for limited necessary purposes, including equal opportunities monitoring and to meet the requirements of Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) reporting. 

We will use information about your physical or mental health, or disability status, to ensure your health and safety and provide appropriate adjustments should you be invited to interview.

Data collected during the recruitment process will be used for the purposes and conducting follow up activities as necessary. Personal data may also be provided by third parties in order to check your eligibility to work in the UK and specifically within the education sector.

The personal information we collect includes:

• Personal contact details, including address, email, and telephone numbers (including third party individuals)
• details of your qualifications, skills, experience and employment history
• information about your current level of remuneration − including benefit entitlements
• information about your eligibility to work in the UK, and

We also ask for some ‘special category data’. This is personal information which is more sensitive. We will ask you about:

• gender
• health including whether or not you have a disability for which we need to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process
• equal opportunities monitoring information, including information about your ethnic origin, sexual orientation and religion or belief and social mobility.

The University will not use your data for any purpose other than the recruitment exercise for which you have applied.

Most of the information above will have been provided by you and will have been collected through the job application process. Other information may be added as a result of an interview carried out by the university or from further contact you may have with the university from an enquiry that you have made regarding your application.

The above lists are not exhaustive but are indicative of the main types of personal information processed by the University about you should you make an application for employment at the university.

Your personal information will be shared with the organisations listed below. Any information will be disclosed in accordance with the provisions and obligations of the Data Protection Act. Please note this is not an exhaustive list and your data may also be shared in accordance with the wider university privacy notices which can be accessed at https://www.bucks.ac.uk/data-protection

We may transfer your personal data outside the UK in the following circumstances:

Where we use a cloud-based IT system which may hold your data, and the data in the cloud is stored on servers located outside the UK in a country which is not subject to an adequacy decision. In these circumstances we safeguard your data through undertaking appropriate checks on the levels of security offered by the cloud provider and entering into a contract with them which applies protections of the same type and level required by data protection laws within the UK.

Your data will be retained in the university library records management systems in accordance with the Records Lifecycle Management Scheme; a summary of which can be accessed at https://bnu.ac.uk/policies.

The following rights apply to the personal data collected in this notice. Please contact dpofficer@bnu.ac.uk  if you wish to exercise your rights: 

• Right of access to confirmation of processing and copies of your personal data 
• Right to rectification if personal data we hold about you is incorrect 
• Right to restrict processing of your personal data 
• Right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office about how we handle your data. 

In some circumstances you also have the following rights: 

• Right to object to our processing of your personal data 
• Right to request erasure of your personal data (deletion) 
• Right to data portability

If you have any concerns with regards to the way your personal data is being processed or have a query about this Notice, you can contact the Data Protection Officer directly by email dpofficer@bnu.ac.uk or by post.

Data Protection Officer

Buckinghamshire New University

Queen Alexandra Road

High Wycombe

Buckinghamshire HP11 2JZ

If you remain unhappy with any aspect of the way your personal data is being processed then we ask that you discuss this with us first, however if you remain dissatisfied then you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioners Office:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire SK9 5AF

https://ico.org.uk

BNU is registered as a controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office. Our registration number is: Z772474X

This privacy notice will be reviewed on an annual basis or revised more frequently if necessary. 

This notice was last reviewed on 15 September 2023.