Data protection declaration
Version 1.3 as of 05.09.24
The following information contains legally relevant provisions that you acknowledge by accessing the website of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
Scope
This data protection declaration applies to all websites of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), including microsites. The protection of personal data is important to HSLU. We comply with the applicable provisions of Swiss data protection legislation.
We cannot guarantee that third-party websites linked to from HSLU websites comply with data protection regulations.
Access data
When you access HSLU websites, access data such as your IP address, date and time, browser request and generally transmitted information about your operating system and browser, etc. are collected and stored in server log files. These access data are collected anonymously and do not allow any conclusions to be drawn about you as a person. We use the access data for statistical purposes and to ensure the functionality of our websites. The server log files are stored by us until they are automatically deleted, at the latest after twelve months.
Cookies
In order to enable the correct functioning and optimal use of the website and to measure the effectiveness of web search queries, cookies are used on HSLU websites. Some of the cookies we use are automatically deleted when you close your browser. Other cookies remain on your device and allow us to recognise your browser the next time you visit. You can disable cookies in your browser settings at any time, either completely or partially. However, disabling cookies may limit the functionality of our HSLU websites.
Input forms and e-mail
HSLU websites contain various input forms (request forms, web registrations, subscribing to various newsletters, etc.) that you can use to voluntarily share personal data with us. The same applies if personal data is transmitted to the e-mail address provided on the respective HSLU website as an alternative to the input form. The respective input forms show which personal data is collected.
When using the input forms, a secure connection with TLS encryption is automatically used. TLS encryption ensures that the data transmitted online cannot be read by third parties. However, the data sent to us by e-mail is transmitted unencrypted. It may be possible for third parties to view and modify it. You transmit confidential or personal data by e-mail at your own risk.
Personal data provided to us voluntarily will only be used for the intended purpose and will not be passed on outside HSLU or made available to third parties, with the exception of sending the newsletter (see ‘Newsletter’ below).
Subscribed services can be cancelled at any time.
Newsletter
To subscribe to a newsletter, we need your email address. Any other fields are voluntary and help us to tailor the e-mailings even better to individual needs. In addition to the email address and any other voluntary information, the time of registration and your current IP address are also processed.
The newsletter is sent using systems from the German provider Inxmail GmbH (hereinafter ‘Inxmail’) and, on a transitional basis, in some cases still using the mailchimp system from the US provider Intuit Inc. (hereinafter ‘mailchimp’).
Data provided by newsletter recipients and click data from the e-mails are processed on the servers of the respective providers in Germany (Inxmail) and the USA (mailchimp). We need this information to send and generally evaluate the e-mailings. Furthermore, the providers are able to use this data to optimise or improve their own services, e.g. for technical optimisation of the sending process. The providers are not authorised to use the data of our newsletter recipients for other purposes, nor to make it available to third parties or pass it on.
The systems offer various analysis options for how the sent newsletters are opened and used. We process this data so that we can align ourselves with the reading habits of our target groups and thus ensure and improve quality.
Subscriptions can be cancelled and recipient data can be modified at any time via the links provided in the newsletter emails.
Additions to the solution Inxmail
Unic AG (CH Bern) operates the system on behalf of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
Consent to ‘Allow personalisation’
Optionally, it is possible to ‘allow personalisation’ for the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. This consent can be granted or revoked at any time in the relevant e-mails or in the recipient profile.
Only if such consent has been granted in advance is it possible for the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts to evaluate and individualise e-mailings on a personal basis.
Additions regarding the mailchimp solution
ailchimp uses cookies, web beacons and flash player codes to collect information about your access to the newsletter, browser type, operating system and other similar information. In addition, mailchimp uses the Google Analytics analysis tool and may integrate it into the e-mailings. You can find mailchimp's privacy policy here.
Web analysis
Google Analytics
To improve its websites and the user experience, as well as for statistical evaluations of visitor access to its websites, HSLU uses functions provided by the web analysis service Google Analytics from the US provider Google LLC, or Google Limited Ireland (hereinafter referred to as ‘Google’). Google Analytics uses cookies that are stored on your end device and that enable an analysis of your use of the HSLU websites. We use the function ‘Activate IP anonymisation’ on our HSLU websites. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be sent to a Google server in the US and shortened there.
According to Google, it will never merge the transmitted IP address with other Google data.
You can prevent the transmission of data generated by cookies and related to your use of the website to Google and the processing of this data by Google by downloading and installing the browser plugin available at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. However, this may limit the functionality of the HSLU websites.
Google Ads (formerly AdWords) conversion tracking
HSLU uses Google Ads from Google on its websites, and as part of Google Ads, conversion tracking. This involves Google Ads storing a cookie on your device when you click on a Google ad. These cookies expire after 30 days and are not used for personal identification.
If you visit our HSLU websites and the cookie has not yet expired, we and Google can recognise that you clicked on the ad and were redirected to this website. The information collected by the conversion cookie is used to generate statistics for Ads customers who use conversion tracking. This tells us the total number of users who clicked on the Google-served ad and visited a website tagged with a conversion tracking tag. However, HSLU does not receive any information that can be used to personally identify users.
You can generally prevent the use of cookies by prohibiting the storage of cookies in your browser.
LinkedIn conversion tracking
To measure the effectiveness of its advertising campaigns, HSLU uses the LinkedIn Insight Tag tool from the Irish company LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company (hereinafter referred to as ‘LinkedIn’), which belongs to the American Microsoft Corporation. This tool permanently stores a cookie on your device, which enables the collection of the following data, among other things: IP address, device and browser properties, and page events (e.g. page views). This data is encrypted, anonymised within seven days and the anonymised data is deleted within 90 days. LinkedIn does not share any personal data with HSLU, but offers anonymised reports about the website target group and the success of advertisements. For more information, please refer to LinkedIn's privacy policy.
LinkedIn members can control the use of their personal data for advertising purposes in their account settings. To disable the Insight Tag on our website (even if you do not have a LinkedIn account), click here.
Fusedeck
To improve its advertising campaigns, HSLU uses the ‘Fusedeck’ tracking solution from the Swiss company Capture Media AG (hereinafter referred to as ‘Capture’) on its websites. To do this, a script has been installed on certain HSLU websites that enables Capture to analyse the use of the corresponding websites. HSLU does not receive any information that can be used to personally identify users.
According to Capture, the information is stored in anonymised form. This means that users cannot be personally identified. You can prevent Capture from processing your data by downloading and installing the cookie available at privacy.fusedeck.net/de/mDsfPRU2UZ/opt. The cookie only works for HSLU websites, the browser and the device used. You can find Capture's privacy policy here.
Xandr
To improve its advertising campaigns, HSLU uses tracking solutions from the US provider Xandr Inc. (hereinafter referred to as ‘Xandr’) on its websites. To do this, a script has been installed on certain HSLU websites that enables Xandr to analyse how you use these websites. HSLU does not receive any information that can be used to personally identify users. According to Xandr, the information is stored anonymously so that users cannot be personally identified.
You can prevent Xandr from processing your data by downloading the opt-out cookie available here. Xandr's privacy policy can be found here.
Hotjar Heatmaps
To improve its website, HSLU uses the ‘Heatmaps’ function of the Maltese provider Hotjar Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as ‘Hotjar’), which records movements and clicks with a mouse or other input device to track user behaviour on HSLU websites. Hotjar uses cookies stored on your device for this purpose. According to Hotjar, your IP address is only collected in anonymised form.
The data generated by cookies and other technologies (user behaviour, screen resolution, country of origin) are not used by Hotjar to identify individual users and are stored in a pseudonymised user profile. HSLU does not receive any information that can be used to personally identify users. Hotjar's privacy policy can be found here (section ‘End Users’).
You can prohibit data processing by Hotjar here.
Remarketing
Google Remarketing
HSLU uses the Google Remarketing feature on its websites. This feature allows HSLU to target users of its website with personalised, interest-based ads when they visit other websites in the Google Display Network. Google uses cookies to analyse website usage, which forms the basis for creating interest-based ads. This allows Google to determine your previous visits to our websites. According to Google, the data collected as part of remarketing is not merged with any of your personal data that may be stored by Google.
You can disable the Google remarketing feature by clicking on www.google.com/settings/ads/plugin and downloading and installing the plug-in provided there. Alternatively, you can disable the use of cookies by third parties by visiting www.networkadvertising.org/choices/ and following the opt-out instructions provided there.
Information about Google Remarketing and Google's privacy policy can be found here.
Adform
HSLU websites use the retargeting technology of Adform, based in Denmark. This enables us to target users who have already shown an interest in HSLU websites with advertising on our partners' websites. The display of advertising material in retargeting is based on a cookie-based analysis of previous user behaviour. This is a temporary cookie that loses its validity after 60 days.
If you do not want to receive interest-based advertising from Adform, you can object to the collection and storage of data at any time here.
Information on Adform's privacy policy can be found here.
Facebook Remarketing
HSLU uses the remarketing function ‘Custom Audiences’ of the US-American Facebook Inc. and the Irish Facebook Ireland Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as ‘Facebook’) on its websites. This function allows HSLU to target users of its websites with personalised, interest-based Facebook ads when they visit the social network Facebook. To carry out this function, the Facebook remarketing tag is implemented on the HSLU website.
These tags establish a direct connection to the Facebook servers when visiting the HSLU website. This transmits to the Facebook server which of our websites you have visited. Facebook assigns this information to your personal Facebook user account. You can find more information about Facebook's collection and use of the data, your rights in this regard and options for protecting your privacy in Facebook's data protection information here.
If you do not want Facebook to associate the collected information directly with your Facebook account, you can disable the remarketing Custom Audiences feature here. To do this, you must be logged into Facebook.
LinkedIn Remarketing
HSLU uses the LinkedIn remarketing function ‘Website Retargeting’ on its websites. This function allows HSLU to target users of its websites with advertising by placing personalised, interest-based ads when they visit the LinkedIn social network.
To enable this feature, LinkedIn's remarketing tag is implemented on the HSLU website. When you visit the HSLU website, this tag is used to establish a direct connection to the LinkedIn servers and to transmit which of our websites a user has visited. LinkedIn assigns this information to your personal LinkedIn user account. You can find more information in LinkedIn's privacy policy here.
If you do not want LinkedIn to associate the collected information directly with your LinkedIn user account, you can disable the remarketing feature here (even if you do not have a LinkedIn user account or are not logged in).
Fusedeck
HSLU uses the remarketing solution ‘Fusedeck’ from the Swiss company Capture Media AG (hereinafter referred to as ‘Capture’) on its websites. This solution allows HSLU to target users of its websites with advertising by placing personalised, interest-based ads for them on other websites. To do this, a script has been installed on certain HSLU websites that allows Capture to register their users. HSLU does not receive any information that can be used to personally identify users.
According to Capture, the information is stored in anonymised form. This means that users cannot be personally identified. You can prevent Capture from processing your data by downloading and installing the cookie available at privacy.fusedeck.net/de/mDsfPRU2UZ/opt. The cookie only works for the HSLU websites, the browser and the device used. You can find Capture's privacy policy here.
Xandr
HSLU uses a remarketing solution from Xandr on its websites. This solution allows HSLU to target you with advertising by placing personalised, interest-based ads for you on other websites. To do this, a script has been installed on certain HSLU websites that allows Xandr to register your visit. HSLU does not receive any information that could be used to personally identify users. According to Xandr, the information is stored anonymously so that users cannot be personally identified.
You can prevent Xandr from processing your data by downloading the opt-out cookie available here. Xandr's privacy policy can be found here.
Surveys
Hotjar Surveys
To improve its website and advertising campaigns, HSLU uses the ‘Surveys’ function from Hotjar on its websites. This function allows HSLU to display anonymous surveys to you on the HSLU website. Hotjar uses cookies stored on your device for this purpose. According to Hotjar, your IP address is only collected in anonymised form.
The information you voluntarily enter is not used by Hotjar to identify individual users and is stored in a pseudonymised user profile. HSLU does not receive any information that can be used to personally identify users. Hotjar's privacy policy can be found here (section ‘End Users’).
You can prohibit data processing by Hotjar here.
Social plugins
HSLU uses social plugins (hereinafter referred to as ‘plugins’) from various social networks (hereinafter referred to as ‘operators’) for its websites. These are recognisable by their logo or designation. If you access an HSLU website that contains such a plugin, the operators receive information via the plugin that you have accessed our websites. If you are logged into one of the services at the same time, the operators can assign your visit to the HSLU website to your profile in the respective service. If you interact with the plugins, for example by clicking the ‘Like’ button on Facebook or posting a comment, the corresponding information is transmitted directly to the operator and stored there.
For information on the purpose and scope of data collection and the further processing and use of the data by the operators, as well as your rights in this regard and setting options for protecting your privacy, please refer to the operators' data protection information. HSLU uses the following plugins on its HSLU websites:
- Facebook: The link to Facebook's privacy policy can be found here.
- Instagram: The link to Instagram's privacy policy can be found here.
- Twitter: The link to Twitter's privacy policy can be found here.
- LinkedIn: The link to the LinkedIn privacy policy can be found here.
- Xing: The link to the Xing privacy policy can be found here.
- YouTube: The link to the YouTube privacy policy can be found here.
- Flickr: The link to the Flickr privacy policy can be found here.
- SoundCloud: The link to the SoundCloud privacy policy can be found here.
- Vimeo: The link to the Vimeo privacy policy can be found here.
- WhatsApp: If you access the HSLU websites using your smartphone, you can share posts via WhatsApp. By tapping the WhatsApp button, you can send a message with the link to the post to your personal WhatsApp contacts via WhatsApp. When you tap the button, the content of your message and the HSLU website you have accessed are transmitted to WhatsApp. You can find the link to the WhatsApp privacy policy here.
To prevent the operators from directly associating the data collected through our websites with your profile in the respective service, please log out of the corresponding service before visiting the HSLU websites. You can also completely prevent the loading of plugins with add-ons for your browser, e.g. with the script blocker NoScript.
Google Maps
Google Maps API is used on the HSLU websites to visually display geographical information. When Google Maps is used, Google also collects, processes and uses data about how users utilise the map functions. You can find more information about data processing by Google here.
Google reCAPTCHA
Google reCAPTCHA is used on the HSLU websites to protect against bots and spam. Google uses cookies and data is forwarded to Google for this purpose. Further information about data processing by Google can be found here.
rcc assistence
rcc assistance offers communication in human language. To perform the resulting subtasks, it uses the services of the following providers. The providers do not receive any IP addresses or data from the participants' devices that could be used to create a profile, but only data from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts server. The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts server serves as a filter, which is comparable to a VPN client.
Despite the filter, data entered in the text field is transmitted to services such as Google, Microsoft, NLP Cloud and OpenAI and partly processed in the USA. According to FDPIC, this country does not provide an adequate level of data protection. This also means that the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts has no control over the data processing carried out there and cannot trace exactly what happens to the data entered in the text field. Furthermore, there are no data protection agreements between the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and these companies.
As part of the extended functionality of the rcc assistance, it is possible to upload and process images as well as texts. The uploaded images are transmitted to external service providers such as Google, Microsoft, NLP Cloud and OpenAI and partially processed in the USA. According to the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC), this country does not provide an adequate level of data protection. The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts therefore has no control over data processing in these countries and cannot verify how the transmitted images are used there. It is recommended not to upload images that contain personal or sensitive information.
Provider
- NLPCloud:
- Terms of service can be found here
- Privacy policy can be found here
- OpenAI:
- Terms & policies can be found here
- Privacy policy can be found here
- PineCone:
- Terms of service can be found here
- Privacy policy can be found here
- Google:
- Google APIs terms of service can be found here
- Google API services user data policy can be found here
- Microsoft:
Right to information
For information about the personal data collected about you, as well as for the correction, addition, deletion or blocking of your personal data, you can contact us at the following address:
Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
Werftestrasse 4
CH - 6002 Lucerne
+41 41 228 42 42
datenschutz@hslu.ch
Amendments to the privacy policy
HSLU reserves the right to amend this privacy policy at any time without prior notice. The current version published on the website applies.