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University staff data

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Source of the personal data

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects personal information on university staff directly from universities and shares this data with SFC.

HESA is the principal body responsible for collecting and analysing data about the higher education institutions in the UK. More information on how HESA use personal data can be found on the privacy information page of their website.

SFC also collects data directly from universities for the provision of European Social Fund funding and to monitor the institutional governance and sustainability.

Categories of personal data collected

SFC collects the following categories of personal data about university members of staff:

  • Permanent/temporary contract.
  • Employed full-time/part-time/FTE.
  • Teaching/non-teaching staff.
  • Staff qualification.
  • Age.
  • If staff are considered to have a long term health condition or disability.
  • Equalities monitoring information.
  • Salary.
  • Institution of employment.
  • Involvement in research and innovation.

Purposes of processing

SFC processes university staff data so far as it is necessary for:

  • Monitoring institutional sustainability and governance.
  • Ensuring that HEIs are promoting equality and diversity.
  • Providing European Social Fund (ESF) funding to Higher Education Institutions and monitor and audit their compliance with ESF requirements.
  • Evaluate the quality of university education in Scotland.
  • To provide statistical data on university education in Scotland in collaboration with HESA.

Legal basis for processing

SFC processes HE staff data so far as it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in SFC.

SFC processes HE staff special category data so far as it is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest, on the basis of law under:

  • Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992.
  • Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005.
  • EU legislation for the provision of the European Social Fund.

Recipients of the data

SFC uses third parties for some of its IT systems which are used to hold and process personal data.