The United States Studies Centre (“USSC”) is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with its obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles. This Privacy Statement explains our procedures relating to the collection, management and use of your personal information. Personal information means information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable (whether true or not or recorded in a material form or not). By using our products or services or providing personal information to us, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Statement.

What information do we collect and how do we collect it?

When you submit information we may collect personal information from you, such as your name, gender, occupation, e-mail address, phone number, home address or other contact details, age/ date of birth, passport details, emergency contact details, credit card or payment details, information about your study (including academic records), references as well as other information such as dietary restrictions and subject matter interests.

The way in which we may collect personal information from you includes (but is not limited to):

  • via our websites;
  • by telephone, mail, or email; and
  • in person.

Cookies may be placed in the browser files of your computer by our servers or third-party IT service providers, which may automatically record the following details about any computer used to access our website, including:

  • server or IP addresses;
  • country of origin;
  • top-level domain names (for example .com, .gov, .au, etc);
  • the pages you accessed and documents downloaded;
  • the previous sites you have visited;
  • the type of browser you are using;
  • the pages visited on our website; or
  • time spent on our website.

No attempt will be made to identify users or their browser activity, except in the unlikely event of an investigation where a law enforcement agency may exercise a warrant to inspect the Internet Service Provider’s logs or in the case of a USSC staff member or another worker to ensure compliance with USSC policies or procedures.

We will only collect sensitive information about you with your consent (unless we are otherwise allowed or required by law to collect that information) and where the information is reasonably necessary for one or more of USSC’s functions or activities. Sensitive information includes information about your health, racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs and criminal record.

Personal information about you will only be collected from you unless it is unreasonable or impracticable to do so.

If we receive unsolicited personal information about you, we will assess whether the USSC could have collected the information under this statement and the Australian Privacy Principles. Any information received outside these principles will be destroyed or de-identified.

For what purpose do we collect, hold, use and disclose your information?

We will only collect, hold and use personal information that is reasonably necessary for the performance of our activities, and personal information collected from you, such as e-mail address, name, address and telephone number, will only be used for the purpose for which it was collected. We may collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information for the purposes of:

  • replying to you using any of the contact information provided to us;
  • providing you with newsletters, event invitations, online event registrations, online services, social media or subscriptions;
  • managing your membership or subscriptions;
  • contacting you by phone, post, or e-mail regarding your enquiry/feedback/comments/complaints;
  • compiling demographics for our own statistical purposes;
  • direct marketing;
  • assess your eligibility for any program or the provision of goods or services;
  • facilitating any services or other business that we have with you; or
  • to undertake associated administrative or operational activities.

We may also use and disclose your personal information for other purposes if you have consented to the use or disclosure or the use or disclosure is permitted by the Australian Privacy Principles.

Any use for the purpose of direct marketing will not include sensitive information and you may request not to receive direct marketing communications from USSC.

Credit card or payment information will be used for event registrations and associated purposes but such information will not otherwise be stored.

If you do not or are not able to provide us with the requested personal information, we may not be able to provide you with the information, goods, or services that you have requested.

Who can your information be disclosed to?

We may disclose your personal information to our employees, board directors, related bodies corporate and associated entities (including the University of Sydney), and contractors or service providers and advisers who have been engaged to perform services in connection with our activities, in order for the USSC to provide you with the information, products, and services we are providing to you or in connection with USSC’s functions or activities. We will not give, sell, trade, rent or otherwise supply your personal information to any other third-party organisation, except where you have consented to this, or where it is reasonable to do so in the provision of services to you, or where the law requires us to do so.

We do not publish personal information collected through this website unless we have your express permission to do so.

Personal information may be disclosed to overseas recipients (including recipients in the United States of America) on the basis that such recipients do not breach the Australian Privacy Principles (other than Australian Privacy Principle 1) (or equivalent) in relation to the information.

Can you have the option of remaining anonymous or using a pseudonym?

You have the option of not identifying yourself or using a pseudonym in your dealings with us unless, given the subject matter or context, it is impracticable for the USSC to deal with you on that basis.

Does USSC use government-related identifiers?

USSC will not adopt a government-related identifier of an individual as its own identifier of the individual unless the use or disclosure of the identifier is reasonably necessary for USSC to verify the identity of the individual for the purposes of USSC’s activities or functions or is otherwise permitted under the Australian Privacy Principles.

How is your information stored?

USSC will take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to protect your personal information from misuse, interference and loss or from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

How can you access your personal information?

By contacting us at the email address below you may request:

  • any information regarding the operation of our Privacy Statement;
  • access to your personal information;
  • changes to your personal information to ensure it is up-to-date and accurate;
  • that we remove any personal information you do not wish us to retain.

We will not charge you a fee for your access request, but we reserve the right to charge a reasonable fee for the preparation and provision of that information to you.

We may only refuse your requests if permitted by law or in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles. If your request is refused, we will provide you with a written explanation for that refusal and the mechanism of how to complain about the refusal.

How can you make a complaint with respect to privacy?

You may contact us on the email below to complain if you believe that we have not complied with this Statement or the Australian Privacy Principles. Your complaint will be reviewed and we will respond accordingly.

Changes to our Privacy Statement

We reserve the right to change our Privacy Statement from time to time. If we do, an updated version will be posted on our website.

Links or references to other websites or entities

Our website or other materials may contain links or references to other websites or entities. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of such third-party websites or entities.

Contact us

If you have any questions or comments about our Privacy Statement or any concerns or complaints regarding the treatment of your privacy, please contact us at us-studies@sydney.edu.au or +61 2 9351 7249.