Data & Website Privacy Policy

Scope

This policy applies to all personal data collected through:

• The Zimbabwe Open University website (www.zou.ac.zw).
• Other digital platforms, applications, and online services operated by ZOU.
• Interactions with ZOU in any digital or electronic format.

Your Personal Information

You can browse the main ZOU website without identifying yourself or providing any personal information.

Who Will Process My Personal Information

When you view or use www.zou.ac.zw, Zimbabwe Open University ('we', 'us' and 'the University') is the data controller.

This privacy notice applies to the use of your personally identifiable information (also known as PII or 'personal data') by Zimbabwe Open University, including its Directorates, Schools, Departments, Institutes and Research Centers/Units.

We, along with our third-party vendors, collect certain information about your use of www.zou.ac.zw, including your IP address and browser type.

Data We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal data:

• Personal Identification Information: Name, address, phone number, email address, national ID, passport number.
• Academic and Professional Data: Student registration number, national id, Student face(photograph or facial recognition data), enrollment information, academic records, and employment details.
• Online Interaction Data: IP addresses, browser type, device information, cookies, and usage data from our website or applications.
• Payment and Financial Data: Bank account details, payment history, and transaction records.

How We Use Your Data

If you contact us via email, the email address you provide may be used to send information, respond to your inquiries, or address other requests or questions. Your email address will not be shared, sold, rented, exchanged, or used for commercial purposes by any third party without your explicit consent. More specifically, the data collected is used for the following purposes:

• Academic and Administrative Services: Enrollment, communication, and academic management.
• Website Optimization: Improving user experience, troubleshooting, and performance analytics.
• Security: Ensuring the security of our systems and protecting against unauthorized access.
• Regulatory Compliance: Meeting legal and regulatory requirements.
• Marketing and Communication: Sending newsletters, event notifications, and updates (only with consent).

Data Sharing

We do not sell or rent personal data. However, we may share data with:

• Internal Departments: For administrative purposes.
• Third-Party Service Providers: For website hosting, analytics, and payment processing, ensuring they comply with our privacy standards.
• Regulatory Authorities: When required by law or for legal proceedings.
• The parent Ministry – the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development for administrative purposes.

Cookies and Tracking

Cookies are small files stored on your computer unless you choose to block them. Our website uses cookies, page-tagging techniques and other similar technologies to enhance user experience after collecting information about your visit. Cookies collect data on browsing habits but do not identify individual users. Users can disable cookies via their browser settings. The information we collect using cookies include the following:

• Your IP address
• The date and time of your visit
• The version of the web browser you are using
• The pages you view

We utilize this information to safeguard the security of our website and to monitor its performance. The data is retained for up to three months and may be disclosed if required to address a security concern or incident. You may disable cookies through your individual browser options or you can opt out of the collection and use of this information through tools like the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page.

Data Protection Measures

We implement robust security measures to safeguard personal data, including:

• Data encryption during transmission and storage.
• Access controls to limit unauthorized access to sensitive information.
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments.

However, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is completely (100%) secure.

Data Retention

We view our relationship with the ZOU community as lifelong. As such, we will maintain your records unless you request otherwise. Personal data is retained only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or as required by law. We will retain a core set of information for legitimate purposes, including archival, scientific, and historical research, as well as for defending against potential legal claims. Upon a fulfilling request, data may be anonymized or securely deleted.

Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: Request access to the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Deletion: Request the deletion of your personal data where applicable.
• Objection: Object to data processing based on legitimate interests.
• Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format.

To exercise these rights, contact us at dpo@zou.ac.zw.

Children's Privacy

At Zimbabwe Open University, protecting children's privacy is a priority.

Eligibility for Younger Applicants

While our website and most services are designed for individuals aged 18 and above, we recognize that certain programs or initiatives may be open to younger applicants, such as early enrollment, preparatory programs, or special academic opportunities.

In such cases, we require explicit parental or guardian consent to collect, process, or use personal data related to individuals under the age of 18.

Parental Consent

Parents or guardians must provide written consent for children under 18 to participate in ZOU programs or access specific services. This consent will include acknowledgment of data collection and usage as outlined in this policy.

If parental consent is not provided, we will not process the child's personal data, and access to certain services may be restricted.

User Responsibilities

To ensure the security and privacy of your personal data, we ask that you adhere to the following responsibilities:

Password Security:

• Keep your account credentials confidential and do not share them with anyone.
• Use strong passwords and change them regularly to protect your accounts.

Data Accuracy:

• Provide accurate and up-to-date information when interacting with ZOU services.
• Notify us of any changes to your personal information to ensure our records remain accurate.

Secure Communication:

• Avoid sharing sensitive personal or financial information through unsecured channels, such as public Wi-Fi or unencrypted emails.

Device Security:

• Use antivirus software and keep your devices updated to protect against malware and unauthorized access.

Compliance:

• Follow applicable laws and university policies when accessing or using ZOU services.

Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to external websites. ZOU is not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party websites. If you follow a link from this website that redirects you to another site, we recommend that you read the privacy policy on that website to find out what it does with your personally identifiable information.

Policy Updates

This policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes in regulations or university practices. Updated versions will be posted on our website with the revised effective date.