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

The request was partially successful.

Dear University of Liverpool,

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

foi Uof Liverpool, University of Liverpool

Dear Ms Persson

Thank you for your email of 28th November 2018 requesting information about use of data analytics and machine learning. I am writing to let you know that we have received your request and will process it as soon as possible, and in any case within 20 working days of the day we received the request. You will hear back from us by 31st December 2018 at the latest.

Yours sincerely

Kirsty Rothwell
Freedom of Information / Data Protection Officer
 
Legal & Compliance | University of Liverpool
Foundation Building |Brownlow Hill | Liverpool | L69 7ZX

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foi Uof Liverpool, University of Liverpool

2 Attachments

                                                                                                                                   

[1]Ms Kirsty Rothwell Freedom of Information / Data Protection Officer The
Foundation Building 765 Brownlow Hill Liverpool L69 7ZX E
[University of Liverpool request email]
www.liverpool.ac.uk                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                    

 

 

FOI/KR

 

 

29^th November 2018

 

 

Name: Jen Persson

Via email to: [FOI #535681 email]

 

Dear Ms Persson,

 

Thank you for your email of 28^th November requesting information
concerning data analytics software used by the University.  I am pleased
to provide answers to the information you requested below.

 

1)  Whether you are using any data analytics software at all. No

 

2)  Any predictive analytics software such as used in but not only,
Blackboard, Xray and JISC supported Civitas. None

 

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 Not
applicable

 

4. Whether the University is using its own student or staff population
data for machine learning for purposes not included in 1-3 above? Not
applicable

 

5. From which time periods were the student or staff data collected which
are processed in any of the above Not applicable

 

6. How many people/user accounts have access to the whole population
student data in any of the above in this calendar year? Not applicable

 

If you are not satisfied with the University’s response to your request,
you may ask the University to review it.  If you wish to do this, please
write to the Freedom of Information Reviewer, Legal & Compliance, The
University of Liverpool, The Foundation Building, 765 Brownlow Hill,
Liverpool, L69 7ZX (email [University of Liverpool request email])  enclosing a copy of your
original request and explaining your complaint.  Please include an address
for correspondence.

 

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have a
right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

 

The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Telephone:  0303 123 1113

Website: www.ico.gov.uk

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Kirsty Rothwell

 

Freedom of Information / Data Protection Officer

 

 

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