1. Introduction

The Association of Professional Researchers and Academicians (The APRA) is committed to protecting the privacy of our members, website visitors, and all individuals we interact with. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and store personal information in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

  1. What is Personal Information?

Personal information is any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. An identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier, or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, or social identity of that natural person.  

  1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:

  • Membership Information: This includes your name, contact details (email address, phone number, postal address), professional affiliations, research interests, and membership type.
  • Website Usage Data: We collect information about your interactions with our website, such as your IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and referring website. This information is collected through cookies and other tracking technologies.  
  • Event Registration Data: When you register for our events, we collect information such as your name, contact details, dietary requirements, and any other information you provide on the registration form.
  • Publication Data: If you submit a manuscript for publication in our journals, we collect your name, contact details, affiliation, and the manuscript itself.
  • Communication Data: We may collect information from your communications with us, such as emails, phone calls, and online inquiries.
  1. How We Collect Personal Information

We collect personal information in a variety of ways, including:

  • Directly from you: When you become a member, register for an event, submit a publication, or contact us.
  • Through our website: Through cookies and other tracking technologies.
  • From third parties: Such as event organisers or partners with whom we collaborate.
  1. How We Use Personal Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

  • Membership administration: To process memberships, communicate with members, and provide member benefits.
  • Event management: To organise and manage events, including registration, communication, and providing event materials.
  • Publication processing: To manage the submission, review, and publication of research in our journals.
  • Website improvement: To analyse website usage data and improve the user experience.
  • Marketing and communication: To send you newsletters, event announcements, and other information about The APRA’s activities, with your consent.
  • Legal compliance: To comply with applicable laws and regulations.
  1. Legal Basis for Processing Personal Information

We rely on the following legal bases for processing your personal information:  

  • Contract: To fulfil our contractual obligations to members, such as providing membership benefits.
  • Legitimate interests: To pursue our legitimate interests, such as promoting research and academic activities, improving our website, and communicating with our members.
  • Consent: For specific purposes, such as marketing communications.
  • Legal obligation: To comply with legal obligations.
  1. Disclosure of Personal Information

We may disclose your personal information to the following third parties:

  • Service providers: Such as IT providers, payment processors, and email marketing platforms.  
  • Event partners: When you register for an event organized in collaboration with other organizations.
  • Government agencies: When required by law or legal process.
  1. Storage and Security of Personal Information

We take appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:  

  • Data encryption: Encrypting sensitive data both in transit and at rest.
  • Access controls: Restricting access to personal information to authorized personnel.
  • Security assessments: Regularly assessing our security measures to ensure their effectiveness.
  1. Data Retention

We will retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.  

  1. Your Rights

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights:

  • Right of access: You have the right to access your personal information.
  • Right to rectification: You have the right to have inaccurate personal information corrected.
  • Right to erasure: You have the right to have your personal information erased in certain circumstances.
  • Right to restriction of processing: You have the right to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.  
  • Right to data portability: You have the right to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.  
  • Right to object: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.  
  1. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us:

  • Email: info@theapra.org
  • Phone: +441642515248
  • Mail: 6 Arennig Court, Stockton on Tees, TS17 5ER, United Kingdom
  1. Updates to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on our website.