Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 9 January 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Open Course Ware UK collects, uses, shares, and protects personal information. We are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

When you register for courses or contact us, we collect information you provide directly, including your name, email address, payment information, and any other information you choose to provide through contact forms or communications with us.

Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and usage patterns, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, pages visited, time spent on pages, and referring website addresses. This information helps us understand how visitors use our site and improve our services.

Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our website. For detailed information about our use of cookies, please see our Cookie Policy.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

  • Providing and delivering our educational services and course content
  • Processing your payments and managing your account
  • Communicating with you about your courses, account, and our services
  • Sending you educational updates, promotional materials, and newsletters (with your consent)
  • Responding to your inquiries and providing customer support
  • Improving our website, courses, and services
  • Analyzing usage patterns and trends to enhance user experience
  • Protecting against fraud and unauthorized access
  • Complying with legal obligations and enforcing our Terms and Conditions

3. Legal Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

  • Contract Performance: Processing necessary to fulfill our contract with you when you purchase courses
  • Legitimate Interests: Processing necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as improving our services and preventing fraud
  • Consent: Processing based on your explicit consent, such as for marketing communications
  • Legal Obligation: Processing necessary to comply with legal requirements

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

Service Providers

We work with third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website, processing payments, delivering courses, and conducting our business. These providers have access to personal information only to perform specific tasks on our behalf and are obligated to protect your information.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred to the acquiring entity, subject to the same privacy protections.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law. When you purchase a course, we retain your account information and course access for the lifetime of our service. If you close your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information, except where retention is required for legal or legitimate business purposes.

6. Your Rights and Choices

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
  • Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
  • Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances
  • Restriction: Request restriction of processing your personal information
  • Data Portability: Request transfer of your personal information to another service provider
  • Object: Object to processing of your personal information based on legitimate interests
  • Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for processing based on consent at any time

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided at the end of this policy. We will respond to your request within one month.

Marketing Communications

You may opt out of receiving promotional emails by clicking the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or by contacting us directly. Even if you opt out of marketing communications, we will still send you essential service-related communications.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption of data in transit, secure server infrastructure, access controls, and regular security assessments. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. International Data Transfers

We are based in the United Kingdom. If you are accessing our services from outside the UK, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the UK and potentially other countries where our service providers operate. We ensure that such transfers comply with applicable data protection laws through appropriate safeguards.

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are under 18, please do not provide any personal information to us. If we learn that we have collected information from a child under 18, we will delete it promptly.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on our website and updating the "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of our services after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us and Complaints

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us at:

Open Course Ware UK
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 078 8383 0875
Address: 22 Ilchester Rd, Liverpool L16 3NQ, United Kingdom

If you are not satisfied with our response to your privacy concerns, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.