Graduation Privacy Policy

This Privacy Notice outlines how Canterbury Christ Church University (the Data Controller) collects, uses, shares and protects personal data in relation to arranging graduation ceremonies. It applies to all students who graduate and students and guests who attend a graduation ceremony arranged by the University.

We are committed to handling your personal data responsibly and transparently, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulations (UK GDPR) and any other relevant legislation. This notice is intended to ensure you are fully informed about how your personal information is used and the rights you have in relation to it.

You can access our Data Protection Policy here.

1. What personal information do we collect about you?

When you engage with the University in relation to your graduation ceremony, we collect and retain relevant personal data. This information is used for the purposes set out in Section 3 of this Privacy Notice.

We may process the following categories of personal data about you:

Your name

Your student ID number

Your contact details

Details of the qualification(s) you are awarded and your eligibility to graduate

Photograph(s) and video recordings taken during the event, including live streaming

You will also be asked to confirm if you require special arrangements in order to attend the event via the online RSVP. Any disclosed personal data relating to disabilities and access requirements for students will be processed by the Student Wellbeing and Support team. Only information necessary to support your attendance will be shared with the Graduation team.

We will also collect personal data relating to disabilities and access requirements from guests where they require special arrangements.

2. How do we collect your information?

The University may collect your personal data through a range of methods and sources, depending on your relationship with us and the nature of our interaction. We may collect your personal information:

Directly from you – when you complete the online RSVP form, contact the University or attend a graduation event.

Through automated technologies – through our student record systems (SITS).

During the graduation event – through photography and video recording. For further information about how we process photographs and video recordings, please see our Photography, Videography & Digital Marketing Content Privacy Notice.

From third parties – for guests where students submit details of disability or access requirements on their behalf.

3. How do we use your personal data?

The University may process your personal data for the following purposes:

Prior to the ceremony

Identify which ceremony you are eligible to attend and make necessary arrangements for the conferment of your award (including arranging your gown and compiling the graduation ceremony programme)

Send you invites via your personal and Canterbury Christ Church University email addresses
Agree special arrangements if you need these to attend the event.

In the ceremony programme

Your student name will be listed underneath your award title and subject within the programme published by the University.

Classifications are not published.

Your name will also appear in the section for prizes, if you have been awarded

If you do not wish for your name to appear underneath your award title in the programme please email studentzone@canterbury.ac.uk at least 5 weeks before the event after which programmes are confirmed and printed and no changes can be made.

During the ceremony

Graduates’ names will be called out but classifications will not be read out.

Graduates will walk across the platform and shake hands with the Presiding Officer before leaving the platform.

Graduation ceremonies are public and are recorded and transmitted to the web throughout the ceremony (via a live stream feed). A recording is made available online after the event.

Photographs of the event and of graduates and attendees are taken by the Marketing, Communications and Recruitment team.

Recordings and photographs may be used in the future to promote activities of Canterbury Christ Church University within web or printed promotional materials. To find out more about this, see our separate Photography, Videography & Digital Marketing Content Privacy Notice.

4. The lawful basis we use to process your data

Data protection law sets out reasons for collecting and processing your personal data. In this section, we outline the legal bases the University uses.

We will be processing your data under:

Article 6(1)(e) Public Task "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"
Article 6(1)(b) Contract "processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract"

We may need to process your data in order to ensure we are complying with our statutory obligations and legal requirements.

Article 6(1)(c) Legal obligation "processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject"

We may process your personal data under this legal basis where we are required to do so for the purposes of complying with Health and Safety regulations or law enforcement agencies.

Where we process Special Category Data, we will do so under the following legal basis:

Article 9(2)(g) Reasons of substantial public interest (with a basis in law)

We have an Appropriate Policy Document in place which records our processing in relation to Special Category Data and Criminal Offence Data. If you are a student, you may access the document here.

5. Who do we share your personal data with?

We may share your personal data with trusted third-party service providers who act as data processors on our behalf. These providers are Ede & Ravenscroft who supply graduation gowns and photography services, Stream UK who produces the longform live stream for the ceremony and EVAC8 for the provision of special arrangements. All third parties are required to handle your data securely and in accordance with data protection legislation.

We may also disclose your personal data where necessary to meet our legal or statutory obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR. This may include sharing information with government departments, regulatory bodies, funding agencies, or law enforcement authorities where disclosure is legally required.

Whoever we share your information with, we will only share what is relevant and necessary to perform the specific task or to meet our legal obligations.

6. How long do we keep your personal data?

We retain personal data only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes set out in this Privacy Notice, including to satisfy legal, regulatory, and contractual obligations. This includes our obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.

In relation to graduation ceremonies, we retain personal data for 2 years after the ceremony. When identifiable records are no longer required for the purposes set out in this Privacy Notice, they are either anonymised or securely disposed of according to our Confidential Waste Policy.

7. How do we protect and store your personal information?

We are committed to safeguarding the personal data we process and have robust internal policies and controls to prevent unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, misuse, or disclosure of personal data. Access to personal information is strictly limited to authorised University personnel who require it for the performance of their duties in connection with the administration and management of graduation ceremonies.

Where personal data is shared with third-party processors, such parties are contractually required to act solely on our instructions, implement appropriate technical and organisational safeguards, and comply fully with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.