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Elsevier
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Processing notice for SciVal departmental analytics

Last updated: 20 January 2025

1. About this processing notice

This processing notice applies to the personal information processed in SciVal (“Service”) accessed by users including departmental chairs and other research leaders engaged in evaluating institutional performance (“Research Leaders”). Elsevier B.V. (“Elsevier”) is the controller of personal information provided to, or collected by or for, the Service.

2. Purposes for processing

Elsevier processes personal information of institutional faculty members, including in their capacity as academic advisors, research staff, including postdoctoral scholars, and students (“Researchers”) to help Research Leaders conduct performance analysis between institutions and develop and implement improvement strategies and capabilities, for example, to:

analyse institutional departments with respect to research areas, faculty experience, gender distribution, and other dimensions;

  • compare institutions on factors such as breadth of Researchers’ expertise and professional accomplishments; and

  • compare institutional departments with like-for-like metrics across a range of professional accomplishments, such as demonstrating research excellence and impact, as well as skills like mentoring, leadership, innovation, multi-disciplinarity and social engagement.

3. Personal information processed

Elsevier processes Researchers’ personal information that may include:

  • name, department, position, role, persona, and professional contact details;

  • inferred gender;

  • research interests;

  • education history;

  • qualifications, awards and recognitions;

  • publication history, including dissertations and theses metadata; and

  • grant award history

The personal information is sourced from publicly available information, such as institutional websites. This information is obtained through Elsevier’s publication process or obtained from third-party sources and other data providers. Inferences may be drawn from this personal information, such as gender.

4. Use of personal information

Elsevier uses personal information to provide the Service to Research Leaders. Research Leaders make their own decisions as to how to use the personal information provided by the Service. Elsevier does not make any decisions about an individual. Institutions’ privacy policies and other notices will describe how they use personal information.

5. Grounds for processing

Personal information is processed on the basis that is in Elsevier’s or others’ legitimate interests.

6. Information recipients

Elsevier shares personal information:

  • with Research Leaders, service providers, and other processors;

  • where Elsevier has a good faith belief that such disclosure is necessary to:

    • meet any applicable law, regulation, legal process or other legal obligation

    • detect, investigate and help prevent security, fraud or technical issues; and/or

    • protect the rights, property or safety of Elsevier, its users, employees or others

  • as part of a corporate transaction, such as a transfer of assets or an acquisition by or merger with another company

7. Locations of processing

Personal information may be stored and processed in the region or country where Elsevier companies and their service providers maintain servers and facilities, including Ireland, the Netherlands, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Elsevier takes steps, including through contracts, to ensure that the information continues to be protected, wherever it is located, in a manner consistent with the standards of protection required under applicable law.

8. Your rights

You have the right under certain privacy and data protection laws, as may be applicable, to request free of charge:

  • access to and correction and deletion of your personal information;

  • restriction of the processing of your personal information, or to object to the processing; and/or

  • portability of your personal information.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us through the Elsevier Privacy Support Hub. Elsevier will respond to your request consistent with applicable laws.

To protect your privacy and security, Elsevier may require you to verify your identity. You may designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf subject to proof of identity and authorization.

9. Data retention

Elsevier retains personal information for only as long as necessary to provide the Service and fulfil the transactions Research Leaders have requested, or for other essential purposes such as complying with legal obligations, maintaining business and financial records, resolving disputes, maintaining security, detecting and preventing fraud and abuse, and enforcing agreements.

10. Changes

Elsevier will update this processing notice from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date.

11. Contact

For any questions, comments, complaints, or requests regarding this processing notice, please contact the Elsevier Data Protection Officer via the Elsevier Privacy Support Hub.

You also may lodge a complaint with the data protection authority in the applicable jurisdiction.