Privacy statement HRRF

Ghent University and the Flemish Department of Work, Economy, Science, Innovation and Social Economy (WEWIS) are joint controllers of the personal data processed within the framework of the Human Resources in Research Flanders (HRRF) database. These are secondary data, as they are not collected directly from the individuals concerned, but indirectly through the universities.

Which (personal) data are collected and from which source?

The five Flemish universities generally provide personal data relating to their researchers every two years. These include employment data (position, type of funding, employment percentage, start and end date of employment, organizational unit, research discipline), doctoral data (enrollment date, defence date, research discipline) and demographic data (month and year of birth, nationality, sex). Furthermore, for the purposes of record linkage, which is carried out by the Trusted Third Party (see below, Statistics Belgium (Statbel/ADS)), the following data are also added to the tables: national register number, personnel number, student number, surname, first name, date of birth and place of birth.

The reason as to why these tables must be linked together is that data belonging to the same person must be connected across time and across universities. The national register number is currently the only identifier that allows personal data to be linked to each other unambiguously.

These personal data are provided directly by the universities to Statbel/ADS, which is responsible for linking these data, pseudonymizing them and removing the obvious identifiers (surname and first name, nationality, sex, national register number, personnel number, student number, country of birth, place of birth and day of birth). During the linkage process, Statbel/ADS consults the National Register in the event of incorrect or missing identifiers in order to make a correct decision regarding linkage. This use of the national register number takes place under an authorization granted by the National Register Access Service. The most recent authorization bears number 012/2026.

Only after this process does ECOOM HR in R&D receive the pseudonymized data, which it further analyzes in collaboration with WEWIS in the context of policy support. ECOOM HR in R&D therefore receives the tables that were initially provided by the universities to Statbel/ADS, with the exception of the following data: surname, first name, national register number, personnel number, student number, country of birth, place of birth and day of birth. ECOOM HR in R&D does, however, have access to the ‘hashed’ personnel number, student number and national register number, which, on the basis of a linkage file also supplied by Statbel/ADS, allows records from different universities to be linked across time.

What is the purpose of the processing?

This database maps the entire career trajectory of all researchers (since academic year 1990-1991) affiliated with a Flemish university. This falls within the remit of WEWIS to prepare, monitor and evaluate research policy (https://www.ewi-vlaanderen.be/en/department-economy-science-innovation).

The HRRF provides unique and versatile output. It makes it possible to produce a cross-sectional view on the research population at a specific point in time, but also to monitor recent developments in subgroups of early-career researchers.

The population of doctoral researchers is monitored continuously: their characteristics, the discipline in which they conduct their research, the funding through which they carry out their research and their chances of success. After obtaining a doctoral degree, the HRRF makes it possible to examine to what extent researchers leave the Flemish universities and thereby become potential candidates for the non-academic labor market. In addition, the academic progression of postdoctoral researchers within Flanders is evaluated. In these different phases of academic careers, the mobility of researchers is also monitored.

On what legal basis are the data processed?

This processing is necessary for scientific and policy-supporting research purposes (Articles 63/5 - 63/11 of the Science and Innovation Decree https://codex.vlaanderen.be/Portals/Codex/documenten/1018085.html#H1067137 and www.ecoom.be). This research is conducted in the public interest, meaning that it leads to an increase in knowledge and insight that benefits society (directly or indirectly). This also means that the results are made publicly available. Updates of the HRRF indicators and ECOOM briefs can be followed on this website. The results are used to support policymaking, both at the Flemish and university level.

What is the duration of the processing and the retention period of the data?

Ghent University will retain the pseudonymized data collected as part of the research for as long as the HRRF database continues to be updated.

How is the confidentiality of personal data guaranteed (including who has access to the data during and after the research)?

Only Statbel/ADS, as Trusted Third Party, has access to the identification data. The ECOOM HR in R&D team within Ghent University only has access to the pseudonymized data. Within Ghent University, all staff members are bound, in their handling of personal data, by the “General Code of Conduct for the Processing of Personal Data and Personal Information”. Accordingly, team members work exclusively with storage on secure locations provided by the ICT Department of Ghent University.

Analyses and outputs are produced at group level, meaning that publicly available data do not lead to the identification of individuals. The transfer of data from the Flemish universities to Statbel/ADS takes place via a dedicated encrypted platform; the transfer from Statbel/ADS to ECOOM HR in R&D also takes place via this platform.

Rights of Data Subjects

For the HRRF, WEWIS acts as an intermediary. The data subject may contact the DPO of WEWIS via dpo.wewis@vlaanderen.be, mentioning ECOOM HR in R&D and ‘HRRF’. WEWIS will subsequently contact ECOOM HR in R&D regarding the specific request without disclosing the name of the data subject. First, it will be assessed whether the request can be accommodated (cf. compatibility with scientific research). If this is the case, the required action will be taken without ECOOM HR in R&D being informed of the identity of the data subject. The action may concern the following aspects:

Request for additional information about the processing of the data.
Request to obtain access to the data retained about you.
Request to make corrections if the data are incorrect or incomplete. During the assessment of this request, you have the right to restrict the processing of data concerning you.
Request to transfer data concerning you to yourself or another person in a commonly used format.
Request to erase data concerning you, insofar as this does not risk rendering the achievement and validity of the scientific research purposes impossible or seriously impairing them.

Finally, you also have the right to lodge a complaint regarding the way your information is handled. This may be done with the Belgian supervisory authority responsible for enforcing data protection legislation:

Data Protection Authority (DPA)
Drukpersstraat 35
1000 Brussels
Tel. +32 2 274 48 00
E-mail: contact@apd-gba.be
Website: www.gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit.be

Contact Details

ECOOM HR in R&D: ecoom@ugent.be

Responsible ECOOM Co-promoter: ignace.lemahieu@ugent.be

Ghent University DPO: Hanne Elsen, privacy@ugent.be, +32 9 264 95 17