Data protection
The graduate study is conducted in compliance with current data protection regulations. The addresses collected as part of the graduate study are used solely for the purpose of the data collection and are processed exclusively within the University of Kassel. They will not be passed on to third parties outside the Department II - Studies and Teaching (not even within the university). A combination of address and survey data is not possible at any time, since collection and evaluation are two separate processes. The evaluation is completely anonymous. Participation is voluntary. If the data has not yet been processed and anonymized, consent to data processing can be revoked at any time.
In 2015, the University of Kassel defined quality standards for conducting graduate* surveys in its evaluation statutes. In addition, the updated Hessian Data Protection and Freedom of Information Act ensures the conformity of processing with the EU-wide General Data Protection Regulation.
The processing of the (anonymous) survey data is carried out by our cooperation partner Institute for Applied Statistics (ISTAT). No personal data is transmitted to ISTAT. Further information on the data protection of our cooperation partner ISTAT can be found here.
Participation in the survey does not automatically lead to an entry in the alumni database of the University of Kassel.
The addresses of the graduates are collected in electronic form from the IT Service Center (ITS) of the University of Kassel on the basis of the statutes. Subsequently, they are prepared for the survey by the project staff of Department II - Studies and Teaching. Since the addresses stored at the ITS are not always up-to-date one year after graduation, the addresses are updated, if necessary, as part of a search, e.g. with the help of the residents' registration offices.
Address data may only be transferred and used within the university if they serve the fulfillment of scientific tasks and/or the fulfillment of the university's tasks. Both conditions are fulfilled in the context of the graduate study:
- The graduate study at the University of Kassel is part of a nationwide scientific research project of about 60 universities under the coordination of the Institute for Applied Statistics (ISTAT), funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). ISTAT compiles a cross-university overall data set within the framework of the nationwide cooperation project Absolvent*innenstudien (KOAB). ISTAT evaluates these anonymized data exclusively for scientific purposes in the context of university and graduate research.
- In addition, the results of the graduate study are used for purposes of internal quality assurance of studies and teaching at the respective universities. For this purpose, the anonymized data and reports are forwarded by ISTAT to Department II - Studies and Teaching, which is responsible for quality assurance. Results are used, for example, in the context of (re)accreditations and to improve the study conditions at the departments.
- After the first graduate survey, a second survey (panel) is conducted. This takes place three years after the first survey. In the second survey conducted by ISTAT, only persons who have participated in the first survey and who have agreed to be interviewed again and to the storage of their addresses for this purpose will be contacted (see also 3. below).
The stored address data will not be used for any other purpose than for the invitation and reminder to participate in the graduate* survey. All employees who have access to the personal data within the framework of the project are subject to the applicable data protection regulations and are bound to secrecy. In this context, the disclosure of address data to third parties is strictly prohibited and remains binding, even if the employees no longer work at the university.
Each graduate is assigned a randomly generated access code. This code fulfills several functions:
- With the help of the codes it is ensured that only the invited graduates participate in the online survey.
- By checking the access codes used, it is possible to find out who has already responded. These graduates will then not be sent a reminder to participate in the survey.
- With the help of the codes, the answering of the online survey can be interrupted at any time and continued at a later time. The stored information is assigned to the access code.
- In the second survey (panel), the codes are used to link the data from the first survey with the data from the second survey. This generates so-called longitudinal data, which enables case-related analyses over time. However, this connection of the answers from both surveys does not lead to a connection with your personal data (name, address, etc.). The answers from the surveys are therefore not de-anonymized at any time.
When taking part in the online survey, you log in with your access code on the website provided for this purpose. You will find the link to the survey on our homepage.
Your answers will be stored on a server of the Institute for Applied Statistics (ISTAT) during the survey phase. The survey data is transmitted via an encrypted connection.
At the end of the survey, you will be asked whether you would like to participate in the follow-up survey in three years. If you agree, you will be asked to enter your email address. This will be stored on a separate server at ISTAT and used only for this purpose.
After completion of the survey phase, the survey data will be processed by ISTAT and made available to the University of Kassel. In addition, ISTAT evaluates the data statistically within the framework of university and graduate research and produces publications on various topics.
The Institute for Applied Statistics (ISTAT) carries out both scientific research projects and projects in the field of contract research. The institute is responsible for the coordination of the cooperative project Absolventenstudien (KOAB), in which about 60 universities throughout Germany are involved. ISTAT coordinates the various universities and provides support in data collection and analysis. In addition, ISTAT evaluates the anonymized total data set of all universities participating in the project.
No conclusions can be drawn about individual universities or persons in any of ISTAT's publications.
Regardless of the format, each publication accesses only the fully anonymized data. Since the personal data are separated from the survey data by assigning the access codes, the survey results cannot be assigned to any individuals.
As part of the evaluation, the Institute for Applied Statistics (ISTAT) creates the anonymized university-specific data set, table volumes with the evaluations of the individual questions, and graphical evaluations and passes them on to the universities. These are mainly used internally at the universities.
The university-internal use of the results is limited to the preparation of various report formats for different stakeholders at the university, including, for example, the program development of the departments or the central accreditation system.
We also regularly publish aggregated results on our website.
In addition, the aggregate dataset is also used to address scientific questions and to produce scientific publications.
If you have any questions, please contact the staff of the Department of Studies and Teaching:
Sandra Bürger Tel.: -7298
Or send us an email to absolventenstudie[at]uni-kassel[dot]de
Further information on the Kassel Graduate Study can be found on the homepage for the survey at the University of Kassel and on the homepage for the nationwide project.