Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Academic Network ("AcadNet", "we", "our", "us") is an international educational think tank and solutions provider. We operate acadnet.net and a suite of associated platforms including AcadNet Engage, AcadNet HUB, IACT Assessment, UConsult, MSME Academy, Samskar Academy, and Academic News Network.

This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information collected through our website, platforms, contact forms, chatbot interactions, and related services.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information in two ways — what you provide to us directly, and what is collected automatically when you use our services.

Information you provide:

• Name, email address, mobile number, organisation, and role when you submit our contact form or register on any platform.
• Name, email, and mobile number when you begin a chat session with our assistant.
• Messages and questions you share through our contact form or chatbot.
• Assessment responses when participating in IACT or any other evaluation service.
• Registration details for events, webinars, or programmes.

Information collected automatically:

• Technical information such as your IP address, browser type, device type, and operating system.
• Approximate location information derived from your connection.
• Pages visited, time spent on pages, and how you navigated to our site.
• Session identifiers used for security and continuity purposes.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Respond to your enquiries and direct them to the right team within AcadNet.
• Personalise your experience on our platforms and chatbot.
• Send a confirmation when you contact us or engage with our services.
• Maintain the security of our website and protect against spam and misuse.
• Improve our services based on how they are used.
• Meet our legal and regulatory obligations.

We do not use your information for unsolicited marketing unless you have explicitly opted in. We do not engage in automated decision-making that produces significant legal or personal effects without your knowledge.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Where data protection law applies, we process your information on the following grounds:

• Consent — when you choose to contact us, start a chat, or register on a platform.
• Legitimate interests — for security, fraud prevention, and service improvement.
• Contract performance — when we are delivering a service you have requested.
• Legal obligation — where the law requires us to retain or act on certain information.

5. Sharing of Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party. We may share information only in the following circumstances:

• Within AcadNet: Your enquiry may be shared with the relevant team (for example, the IACT team or UConsult team) based on the subject of your contact.
• Service providers: We work with trusted partners who help us operate our website and deliver our services. These partners are bound by confidentiality and may only use your information for the specific purpose they are engaged for.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required to do so by law or in response to a valid legal request.
• Business continuity: In the event of a significant organisational change, personal data may be handled as part of that process.

6. Cookies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to support functionality and security. These include session-based cookies for form verification and browser-based storage to maintain your preferences within a visit. We do not use cookies to track you across other websites.

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect how some features of our website function.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as is reasonably necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected — including to respond to your enquiry, deliver a requested service, or meet our legal obligations.

When your information is no longer needed, we take appropriate steps to securely delete or anonymise it. You may request deletion of your personal data at any time by contacting us at contact@acadnet.net.

8. Your Rights

Depending on where you are located, you may have rights including:

• Accessing the personal information we hold about you.
• Requesting correction of inaccurate information.
• Requesting deletion of your personal data.
• Objecting to or restricting certain types of processing.
• Requesting your data in a portable format.
• Withdrawing consent at any time where processing is based on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at contact@acadnet.net. We will respond within 30 days.

9. Data Security

We take the security of your personal information seriously and apply appropriate technical and organisational safeguards to protect it. Our website uses encrypted connections, and access to personal data within our organisation is restricted on a need-to-know basis.

While we take every reasonable precaution, no method of transmitting or storing data is completely secure. We encourage you not to share sensitive information unnecessarily through our contact channels.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website contains links to third-party platforms and websites. This Privacy Policy applies only to acadnet.net and does not extend to any external sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third parties and encourage you to review their policies independently.

11. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted their information to us, please contact us and we will promptly address it.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, the revised date at the top of this page will be updated. We encourage you to check back periodically. Continued use of our services after any update constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, we welcome you to reach out: