Student and staff data: use of data analytics and machine learning

The request was partially successful.

Dear Middlesex University,

I am making a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

Please can you provide information pertaining to any data analytics software used by the university using personal data about your students and staff, since 2012.

1a). Whether you are using any data analytics software at all:
1b) if so, which ones?
1c) what date this data analytics processing began?
1d) indicate whether in the past and ended, or still in current use

2a). Any predictive analytics software such as used in but not only, Blackboard, Xray and JISC supported Civitas.
2b) if so, which ones?
2c) what date this analytics processing began for predictive purposes?

3. If the answer to Q1a or Q2a is yes, please provide a copy of any contract terms on using the data by the provider company including
a) the data items feedling analytics, any profiling, and/or used in prediction
b) what the prediction purposes / aims are
c) training the software (such as AI and machine learning) by the provider using the data provided via your organisation.

4. Whether the University is using its own student or staff population data for machine learning for purposes not included in 1-3 above? (ie but not only, within the university computing department for any project or with another third-party)

5. From which time periods were the student or staff data collected which are processed in any of the above (ie not only, retrospective student data from the last ten years / only current intake which began in autumn term 2018)?

6. How many people/user accounts have access to the whole population student data in any of the above in this calendar year?

Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,

Jen Persson

John Gilchrist, Middlesex University

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Persson,

 

I acknowledge your request for information received on 28 November 2018.

 

Your request is being considered and if the information is held you will
receive the information requested within the statutory timescale of 20
working days as defined by the Freedom of Information Act 2000, subject to
the information not being exempt.

 

I may contact you if the request needs to be clarified; this is to ensure
that we provide you with the information you require.

 

Please note that some information you have requested may not be provided
to you; this will only be information that can be withheld by law.  In
most cases the reasons will be explained to you along with your copy of
any information that can be released to you.

 

If for any reason we are unable to provide you with a full response within
the statutory timescale, we will contact you explaining the reasons for
this and giving a revised date by which we will reply.

 

Please note that the information you supplied with your request will be
retained on file by the University for the purposes of processing your
request and statistical analysis and audit. Your personal information will
only be accessed by authorised University staff and will be held in
accordance with the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.

 

Best wishes,

John.

 

John Gilchrist

Data Protection Officer

 

Middlesex University

The Burroughs

Hendon

London NW4 4BT

T: +44(0) 208 411 4061

E: [1][email address]

W: [2]mdx.ac.uk

 

[3]cid:image001.png@01D2D630.5B558030

 

For further information as to how we process personal data:
[4]http://www.mdx.ac.uk/about-us/policies/p...

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.mdx.ac.uk/
4. http://www.mdx.ac.uk/about-us/policies/p...

John Gilchrist, Middlesex University

2 Attachments

Dear Ms Persson,

 

Please see attached the response to your FOI request made on 28 November
2018.

 

Best wishes,

John

 

John Gilchrist

Data Protection Officer

 

Middlesex University

The Burroughs

Hendon

London NW4 4BT

T: +44(0) 208 411 4061

E: [1][email address]

W: [2]mdx.ac.uk

 

[3]cid:image001.png@01D2D630.5B558030

 

For further information as to how we process personal data:
[4]http://www.mdx.ac.uk/about-us/policies/p...

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.mdx.ac.uk/
4. http://www.mdx.ac.uk/about-us/policies/p...