FernFH building

Privacy Policy

Data protection and your privacy are very important to us, Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH (Ferdinand Porsche Fernfachhochschule GmbH) and its owner company FERNFH Management & Service GmbH. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting you. To implement this protection in the best possible way, we would like to use this Privacy Policy to provide you with an overview of the technical background of the storage of data, administration and the use of your data.

By using this website, you confirm that you agree to and accept the terms of our Privacy Policy. If you do not wish to accept this Privacy Policy, please do not enter any personal data on this website. The various subsections provide assistance with suitable plug-ins and opt-out options.

1. Purpose of this Privacy Policy

This statement provides information on how we process personal data that becomes known to us when you use this website and its services. This statement also covers the use of personal data we receive from our business partners.

The use of data by companies independent of our company or persons who are neither employees nor agents of our company is not covered by this declaration. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered to be a comprehensive list of all conceivable scenarios and procedures.

If you have any questions on this, you can always contact datenschutz(at)fernfh.ac.at.

2. Data collection and use

We collect personal data via this website when you create a user account, register with your email address in order to receive a newsletter or you use certain offers or services. In some cases, we also receive personal data from our business partners.

When contacting us (e.g. using a contact form, email, telephone or social media), the user’s details are processed in order to deal with the contact request and its handling in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 letter b) of the GDPR. User data can be stored in a customer relationship management system (“CRM system”) or comparable request organisation. We delete the requests if they are no longer necessary. We review this requirement every two years; the statutory archiving obligations also apply.

In order to use various services on this website, we ask you to provide your company name, your name, address, email address, telephone numbers or other personal information, for example. However, not all of these details are mandatory. In any case, your identity is known to us after the disclosure of your data.

Information that your browser transmits to us is also automatically collected and stored in our server logs. This includes, in particular, your IP address, information that we have stored in cookies with your consent, and the page that you accessed.

We use the data collected to send you the requested and accepted services, orders or other services to allow you to work more efficiently and effectively with the website, the offers (degree programmes, Certificate programmes, executive education, events) and services, and to inform you – with your consent – about special offers or new products (degree programmes, Certificate programmes, further education, events).

3. Transmission of data to third parties

We will not pass on or disclose your personal data to third parties except in the following cases. We will only transfer your personal data to third parties if:

  • You have consented to the transmission;
  • The transmission is necessary for the implementation of the offers (study programmes, courses, executive education, events) or services that you wish to make use of;
  • A subcontractor or vicarious agent whom we use within the framework of the provision of the offers (study programmes, courses, executive education, events) or services requires this data (such vicarious agents are only entitled to use the data insofar as this is necessary for the provision of the offer or service, unless you are expressly informed otherwise);
  • An enforceable official or court order exists; or
  • If this is necessary to prevent any misuse of the offers (study programmes, courses, executive education, events) or services, in particular any use in violation of the General Terms and Conditions or special terms of use of this website in accordance with the law.

4. Helpdesk of the FERNFH

Your contact details at the helpdesk are provided voluntarily on the basis of your consent.

Further personal data is only collected if you provide this information voluntarily, for example as part of a request or when registering with the helpdesk. When you register, your email address will be requested and stored and your first and last name will also be recorded later on as you use the site; this information is voluntary.

We collect, process and use personal data to offer services and to enable and further improve the content and functionality of our Internet offers and services.

For this purpose, we also pass on personal data to third parties acting for or on behalf of FERNFH. These companies are not authorised to use the information we share with them for any purpose other than that about which we inform you in this statement.

The processing and use of personal data is also necessary in particular for exclusive personal access to the helpdesk, to be able to define and change individual user settings or offer help, for example. Access to this information is protected by a personal customer login and password.

To prevent misuse of our Internet offerings, we store various information (e.g. IP address, time and duration, operating system, browser, page impressions) as standard when you visit our Internet offerings.

We adhere to the principles of data avoidance and data economy. We store your personal data only as long as this is necessary to achieve the purposes stated herein or as provided for by law. After the end of the relevant purpose or expiry of these periods, the corresponding data will be routinely blocked or deleted in accordance with legal regulations.

5. Cookies

Cookies are worldwide industry-standard files that we store on your hard drive, not on our server. We use cookies primarily to make the website and our offer user-friendly. The information contained in cookies facilitates navigation and prevents you from having to re-enter all your registration data every time you use the website. Cookies may also be used to tailor our promotional content – with your consent – to your personal interests, to process offers and services and to inform you – with your consent – about special offers or new products.

You can prevent cookies being stored on your hard drive by selecting “do not accept cookies” in your browser settings. Please refer to your browser manufacturer’s instructions to find out how this works in detail. If you do not accept cookies, however, this may lead to functional restrictions and impairment of website navigation and our offers and services.

With your consent, the website operator stores the data that we collect from you in cookies on your hard drive and retrieves this information for later use.

You can withdraw your permission or change your settings at any time here.

6. Use of Google Analytics

On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economical operation of our online offering within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 letter f. of the GDPR), we use Google Analytics, a web analysis service provided by Google LLC (“Google”). Google uses cookies. The information generated by the cookie about the use of the online offering by users is usually transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there. Google is certified pursuant to the Privacy Shield Framework and thus offers a guarantee to comply with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active). Google will use this information on our behalf to evaluate the use of our online offering by users, to compile reports on the activities within this online offering and to provide us with further services connected with the use of this online offering and the use of the Internet. Pseudonymous profiles of users may be created from the processed data. We use Google Analytics only with IP anonymisation enabled. This means that the IP addresses of users will be shortened by Google within European Union member states or in other signatory states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. The IP address transmitted by the user’s browser will not be combined with other Google data. Users can prevent the storage of cookies by setting their browser software accordingly; users can also prevent Google collecting the data generated by the cookie and relating to their use of the online offering and the processing of this data by Google by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available at the following link: tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. Further information on data use by Google, setting and objection options can be found on Google’s website: www.google.com/intl/de/policies/privacy/partners (“How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services”), www.google.com/policies/technologies/ads (“Advertising”), www.google.de/settings/ads (“Ad personalisation”).

7. Online presence in social media

We maintain online presences within social networks and platforms in order to communicate with interested parties, students, graduates, partners and friends of FERNFH and provide them with information about our news, events and services. When accessing the relevant networks and platforms, the terms and conditions and the data processing guidelines of their respective operators apply. Unless stated otherwise in our Privacy Policy, the data of users will be processed if they communicate with us within social networks and platforms, e.g. by writing articles on our websites or sending us messages.

 

8. Remarketing

Google (re)marketing services

On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economical operation of our online offering within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 letter f. of the GDPR), we use the marketing and remarketing services (“Google Marketing Services” for short) of Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA (“Google”). Google is certified pursuant to the Privacy Shield Framework and thus offers a guarantee to comply with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active). Google marketing services allow advertisements for and on websites to be displayed in a more targeted manner in order to present users only with ads that potentially correspond to their interests. For example, if a user sees ads for products s/he has been interested in on other websites, this is referred to as “remarketing”. For these purposes, when our and other websites are accessed on which Google marketing services are active, Google directly executes a code from Google and what are known as (re)marketing tags (invisible graphics or code, also known as “web beacons”) are integrated into the website. With their help, an individual cookie, i.e. a small file, is stored on the user’s device (comparable technologies may also be used instead of cookies). Cookies can be set by various domains, including google.com, doubleclick.net, invitemedia.com, admeld.com, googlesyndication.com or googleadservices.com. This file contains information about which websites the user visits, what content s/he is interested in and what offers s/he has clicked on, technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, visiting time and other information about the use of the online offering. The IP addresses of users are also acquired. As part of the Google Analytics service, these IP addresses are shortened within a European Union member state or a signatory state to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases are IP addresses transferred to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. The IP address is not combined with the user’s data within other Google offerings. The above information may also be linked by Google to such information from other sources. If the user subsequently visits other websites, advertisements tailored to his/her interests may be displayed to him/her. Users’ data is processed pseudonymously within the framework of Google marketing services. In other words, Google does not store and process the names or email addresses of users, for example, but processes the relevant data as cookies within pseudonymous user profiles. This means from Google’s point of view that ads are not managed and displayed for a specifically identified person, but for the cookie holder, regardless of who this cookie holder is. This does not apply if a Google user has expressly permitted the data to be processed without this pseudonymisation. The information collected by Google marketing services about users is transmitted to Google and stored on Google’s servers in the USA.

One of the Google marketing services we use is the online advertising program “Google AdWords”. In the case of Google AdWords, every AdWords customer receives a different “conversion cookie”. Cookies therefore cannot be traced via the websites of AdWords customers. The information collected by the cookie is used to generate conversion statistics for AdWords customers who have opted for conversion tracking. AdWords customers see the total number of users who clicked on their ad and were redirected to a page by means of a conversion tracking tag. However, they do not receive any information with which users can be personally identified.

We also use the “Google Tag Manager” to integrate Google analysis and marketing services into our website and manage them. For more information on how Google uses your information for marketing purposes, please visit the overview page: https://www.google.com/policies/technologies/ads, while Google’s Privacy Policy can be accessed at https://www.google.com/policies/privacy. If you wish to object to interest-based advertising by Google marketing services, you can use the setting and opt-out options provided by Google: http://www.google.com/ads/preferences.

Facebook pixel, Custom Audiences and Facebook conversion

Due to our legitimate interests in the analysis, optimisation and economical operation of our online offering and for these purposes, what is known as the “Facebook pixel” of the social network Facebook, which is operated by Facebook Inc., 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA, or, if you are based in the EU, Facebook Ireland Ltd, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (“Facebook”), is used within our online offering. Facebook is certified pursuant to the Privacy Shield Framework and thus offers a guarantee to comply with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC&status=Active). With the help of the Facebook pixel, Facebook is able to determine the visitors to our online offering as a target group for the display of ads (known as “Facebook ads”). Accordingly, we use the Facebook pixel to display the Facebook ads placed by us only to Facebook users who have also shown an interest in our online offering or who have certain characteristics (e.g. interests in certain topics or products that are determined by means of the websites visited) that we transmit to Facebook (known as “Custom Audiences”). With the help of the Facebook pixel, we also want to make sure that our Facebook ads correspond to users’ potential interests and are not annoying. The Facebook pixel also helps us understand the effectiveness of Facebook ads for statistical and market research purposes by showing whether users have been redirected to our website after clicking on a Facebook ad (known as “conversion”). Facebook processes data in accordance with Facebook’s Data Usage Policy. Accordingly, general information on the display of Facebook ads can be found in Facebook’s Data Usage Policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy.php. For specific information and details about the Facebook pixel and how it works, visit the Facebook Help section: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/651294705016616. You can object to the Facebook pixel collection and use of your data to display Facebook ads. To set what types of ads you see within Facebook, you can visit the page set up by Facebook and follow the instructions on usage-based advertising preferences: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads. These settings are platform-independent, i.e. they are applied to all devices, such as desktop computers or mobile devices. You may also opt out of the use of cookies for range measurement and promotional purposes via the Opt-out page of the Network Advertising Initiative (http://optout.networkadvertising.org/) and also the USA website (http://www.aboutads.info/choices) or the European website(http://www.youronlinechoices.com/uk/your-ad-choices/).

9. Integration of third-party services and content

Within our online offering, we place emphasis on our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economical operation of our online offering, for example videos from YouTube, Google Maps, social media plug-ins within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 letter f. of the GDPR), we use content or service offerings from third parties to incorporate their content and services, such as videos or fonts (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “content”). This always assumes that the third-party providers of this content use the IP addresses of users, as they could not send the content to their browsers without their IP addresses. The IP address is therefore required for the display of this content. We make every effort to use only content whose relevant providers use IP addresses only for delivery of the content. Third-party providers may also use what are known as pixel tags (invisible graphics, also known as “web beacons”) for statistical or marketing purposes. “Pixel tags“ can be used to evaluate information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website. The pseudonymous information may also be stored in cookies on the user’s device and may contain technical information on the browser and operating system, referring websites, visiting time and other information on the use of our online offering, and also may be linked to such information from other sources.

Vimeo

We integrate videos from the “Vimeo” platform, provided by Vimeo Inc, Attention: Legal Department, 555 West 18th Street New York, New York 10011, USA. Privacy Policy: https://vimeo.com/privacy.

YouTube

We integrate videos from the “YouTube” platform, provided by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Privacy Policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/Opt-out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Google Maps

We integrate maps from the “Google Maps” service, provided by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Privacy Policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/Opt-out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

10. Data security

The website operator endeavours to protect your personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration or destruction. All data stored by you is protected by a password either directly on the website or in an internal administration area to ensure confidentiality and security.

11. Changes to this Privacy Policy

The website operator reserves the right to update this Privacy Policy in the future. If the website operator uses your personal information in a manner other than that stated in the Privacy Policy at the time of collection, we will try to notify you by email using the information last known to us. If you have not given us permission to contact you, you will not be notified and we will not use your personal information in any new way. In any case, however, a message to this effect will be made available through a highlighted announcement on the website.

12. Processing or deletion of your data

You have the right to correct, amend or delete the information and settings stored in your user account at any time. If you agree to a specific use of your data, this declaration can be revoked at any time. If you wish to withdraw your consent, please contact widerruf(at)fernfh.ac.at. In particular, you are free to choose whether you want to continue to receive information about offers, news and new products.

Under certain circumstances, we may deny access to the information we collect about you, e.g. if confidential business information is involved or another person’s rights would be violated if you were given access.

To protect your privacy and security, we take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting access rights or making improvements.

13. Server security and data management

The personal data will be managed in accordance with the currently valid data protection regulations and this Privacy Policy.

14. Questions, complaints, criticism and suggestions

If you have any questions, complaints, suggestions or doubts about this Privacy Policy or the use or disclosure of your information, please contact us at datenschutz(at)fernfh.ac.at. If you would like specific information about your stored data and its use, please fill in the form “Information according to Art 15 of the GDPR”. Of course, you have the right to request the deletion of your data stored at FERNFH at any time. To do this, please send us the completed form “Application for cancellation according to Art 17 of the GDPR” or contact widerruf(at)fernfh.ac.at.

You can submit a complaint to the supervisory authority if you believe that the processing of your data violates data protection law or your data protection requirements have otherwise been violated in any way. In Austria, this is the Austrian Data Protection Authority

Special provisions

1. Preliminary remarks

(1) For the implementation of study programmes and courses according to §9 of the FHStG (Federal Act on University of Applied Sciences Degree Programmes), but also for other purposes, e.g. for internal training, entrance tests, etc., we use the web-based learning management system Moodle (hereinafter: the learning platform).

(2) Use of the learning platform is a prerequisite for the completion of study programmes and courses according to §9 of the FHStG, as 80% of teaching takes place on the learning platform.

(3) The virtual rooms that we set up on the learning platform are referred to as courses.

2. Scope of these Terms of Use

(1) These terms of use govern the use of the learning platform of Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH. The provisions of these terms of use must be observed by all users of the learning platform; the learning platform may only be used if the terms of use are accepted. Users accept these terms of use if they gain access to the learning platform using their login details.

(2) Failure to comply with the provisions of these terms of use will result in

  • immediate revocation of the right to use the learning platform and, where appropriate, other web-based Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH learning environments and may thus jeopardise or make impossible academic success, and it may
  • also have disciplinary consequences and may even lead to exclusion from studies, and may
  • also have consequences pursuant to civil and/or criminal law.

3. Authorised users, login details

(1) Students, external teaching staff and employees of Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH have access to the learning platform as users; they receive login details upon entering into an official relationship with Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH or if they register themselves on the learning platform.
Persons who do not have an official relationship with Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH may be granted right of use in exceptional cases.

(2) Only users registered or authorised for a course have access to this specific course.

(3) The login details consist of a username and password. Users are obliged to treat their login details as strictly confidential and not to pass them on to third parties. Any suspected misuse of login details must be reported to IT Services immediately; users will receive a new password, provided that they are not at fault for the misuse.

4. Purpose of use

The right of use includes provision of and access to information, teaching and learning materials and communication options provided for the following purposes:

  • Retrieving, downloading, printing and using for your own purposes the teaching and learning materials provided;
  • Editing tasks (e.g. in connection with tests, tasks, etc.);
  • Using the communication options provided by the learning platform.

The editing, translation or disclosure to third parties (to persons who are not authorised to use the learning platform), for example, of teaching and learning materials or parts thereof is thus not permitted. The use of teaching and learning materials for commercial purposes is also prohibited.

The learning platform may therefore only be used for the purposes of the university. Use of the learning platform for other purposes is not permitted.

5. General terms of use, user obligations

(1) Content may only be provided under the user’s own name.

(2) The following are not permitted:

  • dissemination of illegal, immoral or discriminatory content or content of an offensive nature, such as
    • pornographic content,
    • content depicting or glorifying violence,
    • attacks on sexual tendencies or political opinions,
    • defamatory or offensive statements regarding the personalities of students or teaching staff;
  • subjective remarks; use of vulgar or obscene expressions;
  • conduct on the learning platform that violates study regulations, e.g. the posting of answers to exercises or details of examinations;
  • introduction of malware; offering software or games that are not related to the operation of the university;
  • linking to illegal, immoral or discriminatory content or content of an offensive nature.

(3) Sensitive social topics (politics, violence, sexuality, etc.) may only be shown on the learning platform in a form and language appropriate to science and fact.

(4) The general principles of quotation shall be observed for each use of the learning platform.

(5) Furthermore, users are obliged to comply with the applicable legal regulations (in particular copyright (see also section 6) and data protection regulations) when using the learning platform. Users bear sole liability for content contributed by them to the learning platform. If any claim is made against The Distance learning University of Applied Sciences for a legal infringement by a user, the user must indemnify The Distance learning University of Applied Sciences against any such claims.

(6) Teaching staff and administrators of the learning platform are entitled to remove all content that violates the provisions of these terms of use. Consequently, there is no claim to the archiving of content. The Distance learning University of Applied Sciences reserves the right not to publish content without specifying reasons, or to delete it after publication.

(7) Any violation of the provisions of these terms of use must be reported to the E-Learning and Web-Support Centre without delay (see section 2.2 for the consequences of violation of these terms of use).

6. Data processing

(1) To facilitate simple communication channels, the learning platform sends personal messages using or indicating the (FERNFH) email address stored in the profiles of message authors. By accepting these terms of use, users agree to the learning platform sending personal messages using their (FERNFH) email address.

Profile data

(2) The Distance learning University of Applied Sciences stores the following personal data relating to users: Name; place of residence; email address; username; IP address. Users may enter additional contact data in their profile as they wish.

(3) Names (first and last name) are visible to everyone authorised to access a course. In courses that are used exclusively for the implementation of entrance tests, profile data is only visible to authorised persons (study programme staff, the E-Learning and Web Support Centre, IT Services).

Log data

(4) Every time the learning platform is used, a log is kept of the user, the time at which the user accesses learning platform offerings and which actions are executed (log data).

(5) The Distance learning University of Applied Sciences uses log data to create student usage statistics and troubleshoot technical problems. Any further use of log data takes place only in anonymised form (e.g. for statistical evaluations for the purpose of continuous improvement of the content and functionality of the learning platform).

Disclosure of data to third parties, data security

(6) We will not pass on or disclose your personal data to third parties except in the following cases. We will only transfer your personal data to third parties in the following cases.

(7) The data is stored on a service partner’s server and is carefully protected against unauthorised access. The Distance learning University of Applied Sciences takes all economically justifiable measures to guarantee data security.

(8) Videos relevant for teaching are integrated in the “YouTube” platform provided by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

Privacy Policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/

Opt-out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated

(9) A web reader provided by ReadSpeaker GmbH, Am Sommerfeld 7, 86825 Bad Wörishofen, Germany, is used to provide barrier-free access to the learning platform.

Privacy Policy: https://www.readspeaker.com/de/erklarung-zum-datenschutz/

(10) The PooDLL plug-in from Poodll Co Ltd, 307 Tagawa Bldg, Hayama 1-6-5, Nagasaki Shi, Nagasaki Ken 852-8053, Japan, is used to extend the functionality of the learning platform.

Privacy Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14hTNxmpIykUDL_T4JbC7V3BT72KBLs50n6h2c_Pc0iU/edit?usp=sharing

(11) The URKUND plug-in provided by URKUND, Box 3217, 10364 Stockholm, Sweden, is used for study-relevant reviews.

Privacy Policy: https://www.urkund.com/about-us/ Privacy Policy/data security section

Deletion of data

(12) Study programme-specific courses and hence also all content and contributions within these courses are deleted in principle according to the FERNFH deletion concept and statutes. In individual cases, courses are stored for as long as The Distance learning University of Applied Sciences is obliged to do so in accordance with general statutory regulations, in particular those relating to study regulations (this may be the case, for example, with courses used for conducting examinations). Contributions and comments in courses that are not specific to the degree programme may also remain available to other users in a personalised form beyond this period.

(13) Log data will be deleted automatically after six months.

7. Guarantee, liability

(1) The Distance learning University of Applied Sciences does not guarantee

  • uninterrupted and error-free functioning of the learning platform;
  • the correctness, completeness, topicality and legality of the content provided by users, or specific usability of the same;
  • security of the data.

(2) Furthermore, The Distance learning University of Applied Sciences does not guarantee that the content (works) provided by users are free of any rights of third parties. Liability for any resulting damage is excluded.

(3) Use of the learning platform is at the user’s own risk; The Distance learning University of Applied Sciences is not liable for any consequential damage resulting from the use of the learning platform (e.g. for damage caused to the hardware or software used by the user). This includes any damage resulting accidentally or as a consequence of downloading or using the downloaded files.

8. E-Learning and Web Support Centre | Helpdesk

(1) The E-Learning and Web-Support Centre is available to respond to all questions and messages with regard to the learning platform. The E-Learning and Web-Support Centre can be contacted at elearning(at)fernfh.ac.at.