Privacy Policy and Data Governance
1. Introduction and Scope
The United Standards & Benchmarking Accreditation Council (USBAC) is committed to protecting the privacy of the institutions, representatives, and professionals within its global network. This policy outlines how we handle information in our capacity as an international accreditation authority headquartered in Illinois, United States. Our data management practices are designed to support the VELIS™ Framework while ensuring institutional integrity and professional confidentiality across all jurisdictions in which we operate.
2. Information Collected by the Council
The Council processes institutional contact details, including the names and professional titles of rectors, department heads, and faculty representatives involved in the accreditation track. We also gather professional resumes, institutional governance documentation, and digital usage data related to our accreditation registry. It is a core principle of USBAC that we do not collect or store individual student transcripts or private student records, as our benchmarking focus remains exclusively at the institutional and programmatic level.
3. Utilization of Data
Information gathered is utilized primarily for the formal accreditation review process and the verification of institutional standards. This includes the issuance of recognition tracks, the facilitation of official communications regarding council decisions, and the ongoing improvement of the VELIS™ benchmarking protocols. Furthermore, data is used to ensure global regulatory compliance and to maintain the security of our professional resource centers and digital registries.
4. Legal Basis and International Transfers
The processing of data is conducted under the legal basis of institutional contract fulfillment and the Council's legitimate interest in maintaining international education standards. As an Illinois, U.S.-based entity, data submitted from other jurisdictions will be transferred to and processed within the United States. We operate in accordance with U.S. federal and state laws and employ appropriate safeguards for international data transfers to ensure consistent protection regardless of where the requesting institution is located.
5. Data Retention Protocols
USBAC retains professional and institutional records only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes of accreditation, or as required by governing legal or regulatory obligations. Historical accreditation data is maintained to provide institutions with a continuous record of their quality assurance timeline. When information is no longer required for these verified business purposes, it is securely purged or anonymized in accordance with our internal governance policies.
6. Security Measures
The Council employs technical and administrative safeguards to protect data against unauthorized access, loss, or alteration. These measures include encrypted digital storage, secure institutional portals, and rigorous access controls. Our cybersecurity standards are reviewed periodically to ensure alignment with global institutional expectations and the demands of high-level educational governance within the USBAC Council Registry.
7. Rights of Institutional Representatives
Authorized institutional representatives have the right to request access to the professional information we maintain on their behalf. This includes the right to correct inaccuracies, object to specific processing activities where applicable, and request the deletion of non-essential data. The Council processes such requests in accordance with the regulatory frameworks of the jurisdiction in which the representative is based and the overarching legal requirements of the United States.
8. Inquiry and Contact Protocols
For inquiries regarding this Privacy Policy or to exercise professional data rights, institutional representatives should contact the USBAC Global Office of Governance. Formal privacy inquiries may be directed to our headquarters in Illinois, United States, via our official communication channels. The Council is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of transparency and will respond to all legitimate privacy matters within a timeframe consistent with international regulatory expectations.