MPHEC Privacy Statement
The Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission (MPHEC) has a legal duty to protect personal information, in compliance with the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission Act and other applicable legislation. This Privacy Statement summarizes the privacy practices of the MPHEC. It describes how the MPHEC protects the privacy of individuals whose personal information it collects in carrying out its mandate, and the visitors to this website.
Personal Information We Collect
Personal information means recorded information about an identifiable individual such as name, date of birth, email address and telephone number, educational, financial, and employment history, and other information that can identify an individual. General information such as the type of web browser version used when you visit our website and aggregated statistical information regarding visit traffic on certain areas of the site, is not considered to be personal information.
The MPHEC only collects personal information about individuals if it relates directly to and is necessary for providing a service, program or activity of the MPHEC, or if a law specifically authorizes or requires us to collect it. The personal information we collect from individuals is described in this section of the privacy statement.
Student Personal Information from Post-Secondary Institution Student Information Systems
We collect student personal information from Maritime post-secondary institutions, including contact information, demographic information, academic program information, tuition paid, and student identification numbers for the purposes of data linkage and research, quality assurance, funding administration, and for submission to Statistics Canada on behalf of these institutions, and to create a sampling frame for administering our Graduate Outcomes Survey.
Graduate Outcomes Survey
We collect personal information from graduates of post-secondary institutions including demographic information, employment information, academic program information, financial history (such as income and student debt) and personal opinions for the purposes of administering our Graduate Outcomes Survey Program. The Program consists of regularly-administered surveys of graduates from Maritime post-secondary institutions, focused on key factors that influence graduate outcomes.
Interprovincial Funding Agreements
The Commission administers a number of agreements with other provinces to provide placements for Maritime students in programs of study not available in the student’s home province. We collect student contact information, academic program information, and student identification numbers to administer the agreements.
Communicating with Us
When you contact the MPHEC, we may collect personal information from you to communicate with you and respond to your inquiry.
Applying for a Job
Your name and other personal information you submit to us when you apply for a job will be used to process your application and to administer any resulting employment relationship. Your personal information is protected pursuant to the Nova Scotia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Use and Disclosure of Personal Information
Personal information is only used or disclosed by the MPHEC for the purpose for which the information was obtained or compiled, or for a use that has a reasonable and direct connection to that purpose.
When using personal information, the MPHEC only uses the minimum amount of personal information required for the immediate, valid purpose and limits access to personal information to those individuals who require access to the information to carry out their roles within the MPHEC for each authorized purpose.
On behalf of post-secondary educational institutions, the MPHEC discloses personal information that it collects from these institutions as part of the Postsecondary Student Information System (PSIS) data set provided to Statistics Canada for statistical analysis and reporting purposes, pursuant to the Statistics Act. You can read more about PSIS at the following link: https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/survey/business/5017.
Other than as required by law (including in connection with the PSIS program, described above), and in compliance with the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission Act, the MPHEC discloses and publishes information in aggregate form so that personal information concerning any person is never revealed. We employ strict policies and procedures to prevent disclosure of personal information in documents published or otherwise disclosed by the MPHEC.
Your Privacy and the Internet
Certain types of information gathered automatically from visitors to our website are described in this part of our privacy statement.
Cookies
Cookies are small data files that are sent to your browser. This website uses ‘session cookies’, which help you navigate between pages efficiently and generally improve your browsing experience. Session cookies disappear at the end of your session. This website also uses ‘persistent cookies’ which are stored on your computer’s hard drive for some length of time – they identify unique users across browsing sessions (i.e. when you close and re-open your browser), but are only used for website analytics, as described below.
Cookies do not allow us to identify individuals. You may adjust your browser settings to reject cookies, if you choose. Some browsers can be set to accept all cookies, reject all cookies, or notify you when you receive cookies. If you choose to modify your browser, some pages of the MPHEC website may not function properly.
Web Server Logs
When you access the MPHEC website, the third-party service provider that hosts our website collects certain information about your internet connection and your browsing experience in their logs. This includes the IP address of your internet connection and information about what you access on the website. IP addresses are unique numbers assigned by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to all devices used to access the Internet. The IP address, on its own, does not identify an individual. However, in certain circumstances, such as with the co-operation of an ISP for example, it could be used to identify an individual using the site. In this context, it could be considered personal information, particularly when combined with other data automatically collected when a visitor requests a webpage such as the page or pages visited, date and time of the visit. We use this information only to manage our websites.
Website Analytics
The MPHEC uses Google Analytics, a service provided by Google Inc. to help us understand visitor activity to improve our website. The Google Analytics service uses cookies to generate statistical information about visits to our website. This information is sent to Google in the United States from your computer when you visit certain MPHEC web pages. Google collects this information on behalf of the MPHEC and compiles statistical reports for our use. The MPHEC uses this non-personal data to determine opportunities for improvement (for example, understanding webpages visited provides the MPHEC with valuable information for improving the content and functionality on certain pages). The use of Google Analytics does not allow the MPHEC to identify specific individuals.
The information sent to Google includes:
- the originating Internet Protocol (IP) Address, which is anonymized by Google once collected;
- the country, province and city associated with the IP Address;
- the date and time of the request;
- the type of browser and device used;
- the page(s) visited; and
- websites that referred you to the digital service
You can opt-out of Google Analytics activity if you choose by setting your browser to notify you when a Cookie is sent, and block analytics Cookies. Please consult your browser’s Help Menu for instructions. Google currently offers a free Google Analytics opt-out tool for Chrome, Internet Explorer 8-11, Safari, Firefox and Opera that will automatically set up your browser to block analytics Cookies. Visiting our website with Google Analytics Cookies disabled will have no significant impact on your browsing experience.
For more information, refer to Google’s privacy policy.
Links to other Websites
This website may include links to websites operated by other public and/or private sector organizations. The MPHEC is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external websites.
Third Parties Acting on Our Behalf
The MPHEC Act authorizes the MPHEC to enter into contracts with third-party service providers to support the delivery of services on our behalf (e.g., administration of the Graduate Outcome survey, IT support services, etc.). These service providers access personal information only to the extent that it is needed to provide the services on the MPHEC’s behalf. Each of our service providers must contractually agree to comply with the MPHEC’s privacy and security standards, to perform services for the MPHEC.
Protection of Personal Information
The MPHEC is obligated by law to protect the personal information within its control by making reasonable security arrangements against such risks as unauthorized access, use, disclosure or disposal. We protect the confidentiality, security and integrity personal information using a combination of administrative, physical and technical safeguards that are appropriate given the nature of the information collected and handled by and on behalf of the MPHEC. Any personal information collected by the MPHEC is securely stored and transported and only accessed by those employees or agents who need to know the information to fulfill their duties.
Inquiring About These Practices
For questions about this Privacy Statement, or to inquire further about how your personal information is handled by the MPHEC, you may contact: [mphec@mphec.ca]
Changes to this Statement
Changes to this Privacy Statement may occur if we make corresponding changes to our management of this website, to the services we offer, to the personal information we collect, or to our practices for handling your personal information. A record of significant changes will be maintained and made accessible through the link below.
The MPHEC Privacy Statement was last updated on: June 26, 2019
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