GDPR Compliance at Uniting

At Uniting, we prioritize the privacy and data protection of our users in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This document explains how we collect, use, and protect personal data of all parties interacting with our platform: Students/Parents, Mentors, Abroad Universities, Home Universities, and Uniting itself.

1. Data Controller

Preston Consulting and EdTech Pvt Ltd, operating as Uniting, is the data controller for personal data processed through our platform. We can be reached at privacy@uniting.ai.

2. Data Collected

We collect personal data depending on the user type:

Students/Parents: Full name, contact details, academic history, preferences, messages, and app activity.
Mentors: Basic profile, chat responses, call logs (metadata), and availability info.
Abroad Universities: University profile details, broadcast messages, and chat history.
Home Universities: Institution profile, MoU requests, and messaging records.

3. Purpose of Processing

We process personal data to:

Facilitate international higher education exploration and applications
Enable secure messaging, calling, and mentorship experiences
Help abroad universities identify suitable candidates
Allow home universities to discover and connect with global institutions
Improve the functionality, security, and performance of the Uniting platform

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We rely on one or more of the following lawful bases as defined under GDPR:

Consent: Students/Parents provide consent when creating profiles or interacting with the platform.
Legitimate Interests: To operate the platform effectively for user engagement, outreach, and matchmaking services.
Legal Obligations: Where we are required to retain or disclose data to comply with legal duties.

5. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including compliance with legal, regulatory, or operational requirements. Users may request deletion of their data at any time by emailing privacy@uniting.ai.

6. Data Sharing & Visibility

Students/Parents: Profile visibility is customizable and accessible by Abroad Universities (excluding mobile and email). May also receive calls/chats from mentors and institutions.
Mentors: Can view students who message them but not their full profiles. Can initiate calls but not access private contact data.
Abroad Universities: May browse student profiles (excluding email/phone), and communicate via broadcasts or chats.
Home Universities: May view Abroad University profiles (excluding contact info), send MoU requests, and message based on profile visibility and consent settings.
Uniting: Facilitates secure data processing and provides anonymized or partial data for filtering and matchmaking.

7. User Rights Under GDPR

As a data subject, you have the following rights:

Right to access your personal data
Right to rectify inaccurate or incomplete data
Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
Right to restrict or object to processing
Right to data portability
Right to withdraw consent at any time (where consent is the lawful basis)
Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

8. Cookies and Tracking

We use essential and performance cookies to improve user experience and security. You will be prompted for consent where required. See our Cookie Policy for details.

9. Security Measures

Uniting implements industry-standard encryption, access control, and regular audits to safeguard your personal data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

10. Contact Us

For any GDPR-related requests or questions, please reach out to our Data Protection Officer:

Email: privacy@uniting.ai