World Bridge University

WBU Repository — Institutional Policy

Privacy Policy

How World Bridge University collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data in connection with the WBU Scholarly Repository.

Last reviewed and approved: January 2025 ·  Office of Academic Affairs, World Bridge University

1. Introduction

World Bridge University ("the University," "we," "us") is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all individuals who interact with the WBU Scholarly Repository ("the Repository"). This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, the purposes for which it is processed, and the rights available to individuals with respect to their personal data, in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.

2. Data Controller

The data controller for personal data processed in connection with the Repository is World Bridge University, administered through the Office of Academic Affairs, 5188 Woodridge Road, Spring Hill, FL 34609, United States. Enquiries regarding data protection matters may be directed to repository@worldbridgeuniversity.edu.

3. Personal Data Collected

3.1 Data Provided by Depositors

When a member of the university community submits a work to the Repository, we collect the following personal data:

  • Full name of the author(s)
  • Institutional email address
  • Department, faculty, and academic programme
  • Name of supervising faculty member
  • ORCID iD (where voluntarily provided)
  • Author photograph (where voluntarily provided)

3.2 Publicly Displayed Metadata

The following author information is displayed publicly on published Repository records, as it forms an integral part of the scholarly citation record: author name, department, faculty, programme, and institutional affiliation. This information is necessary for the proper attribution and citation of scholarly works and cannot ordinarily be withheld from published records.

3.3 Usage Data

The Repository collects anonymised usage statistics, including aggregate counts of page views and file downloads, for the purpose of reporting on Repository performance and research impact. No personally identifiable information is collected in connection with usage statistics.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

The University processes personal data in connection with the Repository on the following legal bases:

  • Performance of a task in the public interest: The operation of an open-access institutional repository in furtherance of the University's educational and research mission
  • Legitimate interests: The attribution of scholarly works to their authors, the maintenance of the academic record, and the facilitation of scholarly communication
  • Consent: Where optional personal data (such as author photographs and ORCID iDs) is voluntarily provided by the depositor

5. Use of Personal Data

Personal data collected in connection with the Repository is used solely for the following purposes:

  • Processing and reviewing submissions in accordance with the Repository's editorial workflow
  • Publishing bibliographic metadata and full-text works in the Repository
  • Communicating with depositors regarding the status of their submissions
  • Enabling effective discovery and citation of works by researchers and the public
  • Compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements

Personal data will not be used for marketing purposes, sold to third parties, or shared with external organisations except as described in this policy or as required by law.

6. Data Sharing and Third Parties

In order to maximise the discoverability and reach of deposited works, author name and bibliographic metadata may be shared with and indexed by external academic search engines and databases, including but not limited to Google Scholar, CrossRef (for DOI registration), and OAI-PMH harvest services. This sharing is inherent to the open-access mission of the Repository and constitutes a condition of deposit.

7. Retention of Personal Data

Author metadata associated with published scholarly works is retained permanently as part of the scholarly record. Author contact data held for administrative purposes (such as email addresses) is retained for a period of seven (7) years following the last interaction with the Repository, after which it is securely deleted unless retention is required by law.

8. Individual Rights

Subject to applicable law, individuals have the right to:

  • Access a copy of their personal data held by the University
  • Request correction of inaccurate personal data
  • Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
  • Object to processing carried out on the basis of legitimate interests
  • Lodge a complaint with a relevant supervisory authority

Note that the right to erasure (the "right to be forgotten") may be limited with respect to author metadata forming part of a published scholarly record, given the public interest in the completeness and integrity of the academic citation record.

9. Cookies and Tracking

The Repository does not use tracking cookies or third-party analytics services that collect personally identifiable information. Anonymised session data may be used for system performance monitoring and security purposes only.

10. Changes to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in applicable law or the University's data processing practices. Material changes will be notified to depositors via the email address on record. The most current version of this policy is always available on the Repository website.

Policy Authority: All repository policies are established and maintained by the Office of Academic Affairs, World Bridge University. These policies are subject to periodic review and revision. For enquiries, contact repository@worldbridgeuniversity.edu.