MIT Emerging Talent
Privacy Statement

Introduction
The MIT Emerging Talent, an initiative of Jameel World Education Lab, is committed to supporting the privacy of applicants, participants and alumni of its Certificate in Computer and Data Science program of MIT. This Privacy Statement explains how we handle and use the personal information we collect about MIT Emerging Talent applicants and participants.

What personal information we collect
While specific information may vary for particular individuals, we may collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of personal information about you, which we have grouped together as follows:

• Basic biographic/contact information – city of residence, nationality, displacement status, income bracket, employment status, education level, phone numbers, email addresses, and social media contact information
• Video or audio responses to program applications
• Skill capabilities as assessed or measured by in-application examinations
• Demographic information – names, gender, birth dates, photograph
• Analytical information – aggregated information related to web visitor activity and email marketing actions

  How we collect personal information about you
  All data collected is self-reported in narratives by applicants and participants. No personal information is collected from third-party sources.

  How we use your personal information
  We use your personal information for a number of legitimate purposes all in support of the Institute and its mission. Specifically, we use your personal information to:

• Determine program eligibility.
• Provide you with programmatic content.
• In conjunction with NGO partners, identify and disburse programmatic resources, including internet data, computer devices, and in-person gatherings.
• For the purposes of opting into scientific research, particularly in the areas of cognitive sciences and education.
• To send you updates about online offerings by Emerging Talent or other events, products, or services of Emerging Talent.
• To archive this information and/or use it for future communications with you.
• To compile and/or publish information, but not Personal Information, gathered about Emerging Talent access, use, impact.

If you have concerns about any of these purposes, or how we communicate with you, please contact us at emergingtalent@mit.edu. We will always respect a request by you to stop processing your personal information (subject to our legal obligations).

When we share your personal information
To perform the functions listed above, it may be necessary to share your personal information with Qualtrics, Google Sheets, Airtable, and NGO partners. We may also share your information with service providers or contractors that perform certain functions on our behalf, including processing information that you provide to us during the application process, and other transactions through the program, providing or administering the application, or in connection with other aspects of Emerging Talent services.

How your information is stored and secured
MIT uses risk-assessed administrative, technical and physical security measures to protect your personal information. Nonetheless, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure, and therefore we do not guarantee its absolute security.

How long we keep your personal information
We will maintain a record for you until you tell us that you no longer wish us to keep in touch. Requests to delete your personal information can be sent to emergingtalent@mit.edu. After such time, we may retain a core set of de-personalized, anonymized information for Emerging Talent’s legitimate purposes, such as archival, scientific and impact studies and for the defense of potential legal claims.

Rights for Individuals in the European Economic Area (EEA) or United Kingdom (UK)
You have the right in certain circumstances to (1) access your personal information; (2) to correct or erase information; (3) restrict processing; and (4) object to communications, direct marketing, or profiling.  To the extent applicable, the EEA’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides further information about your rights.  You also have the right to lodge complaints with your national or regional data protection authority.  

If you are inclined to exercise these rights, we request an opportunity to discuss with you any concerns you may have. To protect the personal information we hold, we may also request further information to verify your identity when exercising these rights.  Upon a request to erase information, we will maintain a core set of personal data to ensure we do not contact you inadvertently in the future, as well as any information necessary for MIT archival purposes.  We may also need to retain some financial information for legal purposes, including US IRS compliance.  In the event of an actual or threatened legal claim, we may retain your information for purposes of establishing, defending against or exercising our rights with respect to such claim.

By providing information directly to MIT, you consent to the transfer of your personal information outside of the European Economic Area to the United States.  You understand that the current laws and regulations of the United States may not provide the same level of protection as the data and privacy laws and regulations of the EEA.  

You are under no statutory or contractual obligation to provide any personal data to us. The controller for your personal information is MIT.  

If you are in the EEA or UK and wish to assert any of your applicable GDPR rights, please contact dataprotection@mit.edu. You may also contact MIT’s representatives listed below:

MIT Representative in the European Economic Area
J-PAL Europe
Email: jpaleurope@povertyactionlab.org
Address: 48 Boulevard Jourdan, 75014 Paris, France

MIT Representative in the United Kingdom
MIT Press UK
Address: 71 Queen Victoria Street, London, United Kingdom, EC4V 4BE 

Additional Information
We may change this Privacy Statement from time to time.  If we make any significant changes in the way we treat your personal information we will make this clear on our MIT websites or by contacting you directly. 

This policy was last updated in APRIL 2024.