GDPR COMPLIANCE – PRIVACY POLICY

This website is owned and operated by SAMOS (South African Master of Ocean Sciences), which will be referred to as “we,” “our,” and “us” in this Privacy Policy. We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal data, your rights under GDPR, and how to exercise them. By accessing or using our website, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

DATA CONTROLLER

For the purposes of the GDPR, SAMOS (South African Master of Ocean Sciences) is the data controller. If you have any questions about how we handle your data, please contact us at:
Email: info@samos-edu.eu

PERSONAL DATA WE COLLECT

We may collect and process the following types of personal data:

  • Name and contact details (e.g. email address, phone number)
  • Organisational details (e.g. institution, title, role)
  • Communication preferences
  • IP address and technical information (e.g. browser type, access times, device)
  • Any other data you voluntarily submit to us (e.g. through contact forms or email)

We do not collect any special categories of personal data (e.g. health data, religious beliefs) unless explicitly provided by you and with your consent.

LAWFUL BASIS FOR PROCESSING

We only process your personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so under Article 6 of the GDPR. This may include:

  • Consent – where you have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose
  • Contractual necessity – where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract
  • Legal obligation – where we are legally required to process your data
  • Legitimate interests – where it is in our legitimate interest and such interests are not overridden by your data protection rights

HOW WE USE YOUR DATA

We use your personal data to:

  • Respond to enquiries and provide requested information
  • Deliver and manage educational services and programs
  • Communicate relevant updates, opportunities, or changes
  • Improve our website and services
  • Comply with legal or regulatory obligations

DATA SHARING AND THIRD PARTIES

We do not sell or rent your data. We may share your data with:

  • Service providers and partners who assist us in running our website or delivering services
  • Public authorities or regulators where required by law
  • Other third parties, but only with your explicit consent

All third parties that process personal data on our behalf do so under strict contractual agreements and in accordance with GDPR.

INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

If personal data is transferred outside of the European Economic Area (EEA), we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as the use of standard contractual clauses or adequacy decisions as approved by the European Commission.

DATA RETENTION

We retain your personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by applicable law. When your data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or anonymised.

YOUR RIGHTS UNDER GDPR

You have the following rights under GDPR:

  • Right of access – to request a copy of the data we hold about you
  • Right to rectification – to request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete data
  • Right to erasure – to request deletion of your data (“right to be forgotten”)
  • Right to restrict processing – to limit how we process your data
  • Right to data portability – to receive your data in a structured format and transfer it elsewhere
  • Right to object – to object to data processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing
  • Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on your consent, you can withdraw it at any time

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@samos-edu.eu.

COOKIES AND TRACKING

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and analyse website traffic. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings or our cookie consent banner.

LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES

This website may contain links to external sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of such sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before submitting any personal data.

UPDATES TO THIS POLICY

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements or our data practices. The latest version will always be available on our website.

CONTACT AND COMPLAINTS

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact:

SAMOS (South African Master of Ocean Sciences)
Email: info@samos-edu.eu

If you believe your data rights have been infringed, you may also lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority.