Explorance Blue survey platform - privacy collection notice
This privacy collection notice applies to University of Sydney (“the University”) students who participate in surveys administered through the University’s third-party survey platform, Blue, provided by Explorance.
These surveys include:
- Unit of Study Surveys (USS)
- Feedback for Teachers (FFT)
- Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET)
- Tutor Check-in (TCI)
The purpose of these surveys is to support teaching quality, learning improvement, and University planning.
Participation in these surveys is voluntary, and there are no consequences if you do not participate.
Personal information we collect
When you participate in a survey, Blue will collect the following information on our behalf, including:
- your survey responses, including quantitative ratings and free-text responses
- technical information, including type of browser and device, IP address, and operating system.
Any free text responses you provide will be provided to the University in full. Please ensure that your free text responses do not include any information that may identify you or other individuals.
How we use your personal information
We will use your personal information to:
- administer and deliver surveys to your email address
- combine your survey responses with your course and demographic data and provide dashboards that allow the University to analyse the aggregated results to support academic performance and development, planning, and evaluation of teaching and learning
- apply machine learning on qualitative comments for sentiment, topic categorisation, and to escalate concerns relating to wellbeing, complaints, or potential risks to student safety.
Aggregated survey results will be distributed to teachers, unit of study coordinators, faculty managers, and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Education (DVC-E), as well as the University Executive (UE). This reporting will be de-identified and aggregated and accessible only where reports exist (that is, where reports exist for groups of 5 or 20% responses or more).
A limited number of survey administrators receive or otherwise have access to individual survey responses and all survey reporting will be treated confidentially. We will use these aggregated survey results to assess teaching quality, improve student learning, and to assist with University planning.
Personal information we share with third parties
To enable survey processing and the demographic breakdown needed to improve teaching and learning support, the University will provide Explorance with personal information about you from University systems, such as Sydney Students and Syllabus+, including student name, student ID, email address, enrolment data, timetable data, and demographic data.
The University will share your personal information with Explorance and its service providers for the purpose of administering your access to and use of its service. Contract arrangements with Explorance contain strict confidentiality and security controls to protect your personal information. To learn more about how Explorance will handle your personal information, refer to Explorance Privacy Policy.
The University will not otherwise disclose your information without your consent unless required or authorised by law.
How we store and secure your information
Explorance will store the survey responses in Australia with security measures in place to safeguard personal information from misuse, and unauthorised access, use, modification or disclosure in accordance with Cyber Security Policy 2019. The University will retain your personal information in accordance with our Recordkeeping Policy 2017.
Your rights in relation to your personal information
You have the right to request access to and correct any personal information concerning you held by the University. For more information, please contact privacy.enquiries@sydney.edu.au.
Privacy complaints
If you believe that the University or a member of staff has not handled your personal information in a way that you expect, you can make a complaint. Find out more about making a privacy complaint.