Policy, Term and Conditions

PRIVACY POLICY Ascending Abilities Institute – AAI LTD operates under Ascending Abilities International LTD (Company No. C130150 & Business Registration No. C15130150), Mauritius. The institution is officially approved by the Mauritius Qualifications Authority (No. MQA-TI-2023-310) to operate as a vocational education and training institution, delivering programmes aligned with international standards and recognised awarding organisations. •Our registered office is located at: Sam Building, 43 Mere Barthelemy Street, 11412, Port Louis, Mauritius. AAI LTD is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy in compliance with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This policy applies to all users of our website, learners, partners, and visitors. We comply with: •The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) •The EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) •Applicable Canadian privacy laws (PIPEDA) where relevant. INTRODUCTION 1.This Privacy Policy explains how Ascending Abilities Institute – AAI Ltd (AAI Ltd) collects, uses, stores, and protects your information. It outlines the conditions under which we process any data that we collect from you or that you provide to us. This includes both information that can identify you (“personal data”) and information that cannot. In this policy, “processing” refers to collecting, recording, storing, using, sharing, or otherwise handling data. 2.If you do not agree with any part of this policy, we kindly advise that you discontinue use of our website and services. 3.At AAI Ltd, we are fully committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of your personal data. We ensure that your information is used only for its intended purpose and safeguarded against unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse. 4.We take all reasonable steps to protect the information you provide to us and expect that you also take appropriate measures to protect your personal data when using our services. 5.This policy is designed in compliance with applicable data protection laws, including the UK Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 6.Under applicable laws, you have specific rights regarding your personal data. These include the right to access, correct, erase, or restrict the processing of your data. We encourage you to learn more about your rights by visiting relevant data protection resources. 7.Except as outlined in this policy, AAI Ltd does not sell, share, or disclose your personal information to third parties without your consent. LEGAL BASES FOR PROCESSING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION Under applicable data protection laws, we are required to identify and inform you of the legal basis on which we process your personal information. •There are several lawful bases for processing, and we ensure that all personal data is handled in accordance with one or more of these legal grounds. We will only process your personal information where a valid legal basis applies to the specific category of data being used. If, at any time, the legal basis for processing your personal information is no longer applicable, we will immediately cease processing your data. •Where there is a change in the legal basis relied upon, we will notify you as required by law and provide details of the new basis under which we continue to process your personal information. 1. INFORMATION WE PROCESS BASED ON A CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION When you create an account on our website, purchase a product or service, or otherwise agree to our terms and conditions, a legally binding contract is formed between you and Ascending Abilities Institute – AAI Ltd (AAI Ltd). In order to fulfil our obligations under this contract, we must process certain information that you provide to us. This may include personal information. We use this information for the following purposes: •1.1. To verify your identity for security and fraud prevention purposes •1.2. To process and deliver products or services you have purchased •1.3. To provide and manage access to our services •1.4. To offer guidance, recommendations, and support on our products and services, and to help you make effective use of our website. We process this information on the basis that it is necessary for the performance of a contract between you and us, or because you have requested that we take specific steps prior to entering into a contract. In addition, we may aggregate this information in a non-identifiable format for analytical and performance monitoring purposes, such as evaluating the effectiveness of our services. In such cases, you will not be personally identifiable. We will retain and continue to process this information for as long as the contractual relationship exists, and thereafter only for as long as necessary in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, or until the contract is terminated by either party. 2. INFORMATION WE PROCESS WITH YOUR CONSENT; In situations where there is no contractual relationship between you and us, such as when you browse our website or request information about our products and services, we may process your personal information based on your consent. Where appropriate, we seek your explicit consent, for example when you agree to our use of cookies or subscribe to communications. •In some cases, consent may be implied, such as when you contact us via email and reasonably expect a response. We use this information for purposes including: •Responding to your enquiries •Providing information about our services •Improving user experience and website functionality Unless you have given explicit consent for a specific purpose, we will not use your information in a way that personally identifies you. We may, however, aggregate data for analytical purposes, such as monitoring website performance. In such cases, individuals are not identifiable. Where you have provided explicit consent, we may share your name and contact details with selected partners or associates whose services we believe may be relevant to you. We will continue to process your information on this basis until you withdraw your consent or it is reasonable to assume that your consent is no longer valid. You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us at: info@aai.ac.mu Please note that withdrawing consent may limit your ability to access certain features of our website or services. 3. INFORMATION WE PROCESS BASED ON LEGITIMATE INTERESTS We may process your personal information where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, or those of a third party, provided that such interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Before relying on this basis, we carefully assess: •Whether the same objective can be achieved through less intrusive means •The potential impact on you, including any risk of harm •Whether you would reasonably expect us to process your data in this way •Whether the processing is fair and proportionate •We may process your information under legitimate interests for purposes such as: •Maintaining accurate records for the effective administration of our business •Responding to communications you send to us where a response is reasonably expected •Protecting and enforcing our legal rights •Managing business risks, including obtaining professional advice or insurance •Safeguarding your interests where we believe we have a responsibility to do so We ensure that all processing under this basis is conducted responsibly, transparently, and in line with applicable data protection laws. 4. INFORMATION WE PROCESS TO COMPLY WITH LEGAL OBLIGATIONS. As an organisation, AAI Ltd is subject to applicable laws and regulations. In certain circumstances, we are required to process personal information in order to comply with legal obligations. This may include sharing information with regulatory bodies, law enforcement agencies, or other authorised authorities where legally required. Such disclosures may occur, for example, in response to a valid court order, legal request, or statutory requirement. Where this applies, the information shared may include personal data, but only to the extent necessary to meet our legal obligations. 5. INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE FOR SHARING WITH THIRD PARTIES Our website may allow you to submit or share information that is intended to be viewed, accessed, or used by others. Examples of such activities include: •5.1. Posting messages in forums or discussion areas •5.2. Tagging or uploading images or content •5.3. Interacting with other users’ content (e.g., likes, comments, or reactions) When you share personal information in these public areas, you do so at your own discretion. It is your responsibility to consider the privacy implications and the potential audience who may access your information. While we store this information, once it is made publicly available, we have no control over how third parties may use it. Therefore, AAI Ltd accepts no responsibility for the actions of third parties in relation to publicly shared content. Where appropriate and legally permissible, you may request the removal of personal information you have posted. We will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis, taking into account legal and operational requirements. Requests for removal can be submitted via: info@aai.ac.mu 6. COMPLAINTS REGARDING CONTENT ON OUR WEBSITE If you wish to make a complaint about any content published on our website, we will review and assess your concerns promptly. Where a complaint is justified, or where required by law, we may temporarily or permanently remove the content in question while an investigation is carried out. We recognise the importance of balancing competing rights, including freedom of expression and the protection of individuals from harm. Each case will therefore be assessed carefully to ensure a fair and proportionate outcome. If a complaint is determined to be unfounded, abusive, or made in bad faith, we reserve the right not to engage further on the matter. 7. INFORMATION RELATING TO YOUR METHOD OF PAYMENT AAI Ltd does not collect, process, or store your payment card or financial details directly. All payments made through our website are processed securely by trusted third-party payment service providers, such as: •PayPal •Stripe •Worldpay When making a payment, you will be redirected to a secure payment page operated by the selected provider. Although the page may appear consistent with our website branding, it is managed entirely by the payment provider and is subject to their own privacy and security policies. Our staff and contractors do not have access to your payment information at any time. 8. INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DIRECT DEBIT Where you choose to set up a direct debit arrangement with AAI Ltd, the information you provide is securely transmitted to our banking partner, MCB, for processing in accordance with our instructions. We do not retain copies of your direct debit banking details. All direct debit transactions are protected under the Direct Debit Guarantee Scheme, which ensures that: •Payments can only be collected by authorised organisations •Customers are entitled to an immediate refund from their bank in the event of an error or disputed payment •Approved organisations are subject to strict vetting procedures and must provide indemnity guarantees through their bank. 9. JOB APPLICATIONS AND EMPLOYMENT If you submit personal information to us as part of a job application, we may retain this information for up to 12 months in order to consider you for future opportunities. If you become an employee of AAI Ltd, we will collect and process information about you throughout your employment. This information will be used strictly for purposes directly related to your role, including administration, compliance, and performance management. After your employment ends, we will retain your employment records for up to three (3) years, after which they will be securely deleted or destroyed in accordance with our data retention policies. 10. COMMUNICATION WITH OUR SUPPORT TEAM When you contact us by telephone, email, or through our website, we collect the information you provide in order to respond to your enquiry and deliver appropriate support. We may: •Record details of your request and our response •Retain relevant personal data (such as your name and email address) •Maintain communication records to improve service quality and operational efficiency. This information is used solely to ensure effective communication and to provide a high standard of customer support. 11. HANDLING COMPLAINTS When you submit a complaint, we record the information you provide to allow us to investigate and resolve the issue effectively. Where necessary, and only when appropriate, we may share relevant details of your complaint with a third party involved in the matter. Any such sharing will be limited to what is strictly necessary and handled with care. We may also use anonymized data from complaints to: •Analyse service performance •Improve our processes and customer experience. At no point will this information be used in a way that identifies you or any other individual. 12. AFFILIATE AND BUSINESS PARTNER INFORMATION If you engage with AAI Ltd as an affiliate or business partner, we process information necessary to manage that relationship. This may include information used to: •Track referrals made to our website or services •Attribute and calculate commissions or payments due •Facilitate the transfer of commissions or other agreed payments. We use this information solely for the administration of our partnership arrangements and not for unrelated purposes. We are committed to maintaining the confidentiality of all affiliate and partner information, as well as the terms of our business relationships. We expect our partners to uphold similar standards of confidentiality. USE OF INFORMATION COLLECTED THROUGH AUTOMATED SYSTEMS 13. Cookies Cookies are small text files stored on your device by your web browser when you visit a website. They enable websites to recognise your device, remember your preferences, and enhance your overall browsing experience. Cookies may be: •Session cookies – which expire when you close your browser •Persistent cookies – which remain on your device for a defined period or until manually deleted. You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings, including deleting existing cookies or restricting their use. AAI Ltd uses cookies that are set by: •Our website servers •Trusted third-party service providers •We use cookies for the following purposes: •13.1. To analyse how users interact with our website •13.2. To track whether you have viewed important notices or messages •13.3. To maintain your login session and preferences •13.4. To record responses to surveys or forms while in progress •13.5. To support live chat functionality and maintain conversation continuity. 14. Personal Identifiers from Your Browsing Activity; When you visit our website, our servers automatically record certain technical information sent by your browser. This may include: •Your IP address •Approximate geographical location •Internet service provider (ISP) •Device type, operating system, and browser type •Screen resolution and usage behaviour •We use this data in an aggregated and anonymised form to: •Analyse website performance •Understand user behaviour •Improve the quality and relevance of our content In certain circumstances, this data may be combined with other information we hold, which could potentially identify you, even if you are not logged into your account. 15. OUR USE OF REMARKETING Remarketing involves placing a cookie on your device when you visit our website, allowing us to display relevant advertisements to you on other websites. We may use third-party providers to deliver remarketing services. Where this occurs: •Cookies are used to track your browsing behaviour •Advertisements related to our products or services may appear on external websites Remarketing activities will only take place where you have provided consent for the use of cookies. DISCLOSURE AND SHARING OF YOUR INFORMATION 16. INFORMATION WE OBTAIN FROM THIRD PARTIES While we do not routinely share your personal information with third parties (except as outlined in this policy), we may receive information from trusted third-party service providers. This information is typically aggregated or derived from your interactions with their services and may include insights based on your usage patterns. We ensure that any such data is handled in accordance with applicable data protection laws. 17. THIRD-PARTY ADVERTISING ON OUR WEBSITE We may allow third-party organisations to display advertisements on our website. These third parties may use technologies such as: •Cookies •Web beacons •JavaScript to automatically collect information about your interaction with their advertisements. This data may be used to: •Personalise advertising content •Measure advertisement performance •Please note: AAI Ltd does not control these third-party technologies or the data they collect •These activities are governed by the privacy policies of the respective third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party advertisers to understand how your data is used. 18. INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS OF PERSONAL DATA Our website is hosted in Mauritius, which means that personal data you provide is primarily stored and processed within this jurisdiction. However, in the course of delivering our services, we work with partners and awarding bodies whose systems and platforms are hosted in the United Kingdom. As a result, your personal data may be transferred to, accessed from, or processed within the UK. In addition, we may use trusted third-party service providers located in other countries where necessary (for example, software providers), which may involve further international data transfers. Whenever your personal data is transferred outside Mauritius, AAI Ltd ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with applicable data protection laws. These safeguards may include: •18.1. Transfers to organisations that adhere to recognised data protection standards equivalent to applicable laws •18.2. The use of Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or equivalent contractual safeguards with third-party processors •18.3. Compliance with recognised codes of conduct approved by relevant supervisory authorities •18.4. Certification under recognised data protection frameworks or certification mechanisms •18.5. Legally binding agreements ensuring appropriate levels of data protection. We take all reasonable steps to ensure that your personal data is processed securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy, regardless of where it is processed. ACCESS TO YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION 19. YOUR RIGHT TO ACCESS YOUR INFORMATION You have the right to access, review, and manage the personal information we hold about you. •19.1. You may review or update your personal information at any time by logging into your account on our website. •19.2. To request a copy of personal data not accessible through your account, you may contact us at: •info@aai.ac.mu •19.3. Upon receiving your request, we will inform you of the expected timeframe for providing the information and whether any administrative fee applies (where permitted by law). 20. REMOVAL OF YOUR INFORMATION You have the right to request the deletion of your personal information. If you wish us to remove personally identifiable information, please contact us at: info@aai.ac.mu Please note that fulfilling such requests may limit or prevent us from providing certain services to you, particularly where the data is required for contractual or legal purposes. 21. VERIFICATION OF YOUR IDENTITY To protect your personal data, we will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before processing any request to access, update, or delete your information. This is an important security measure to prevent unauthorised access or misuse of your data. OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION 22. USE OF OUR WEBSITE BY CHILDREN •22.1. Our services are not intended for purchase by children, and we do not knowingly market products or services directly to children. •22.2. If you are under the age of 18, you may use our website only with the consent and supervision of a parent or legal guardian. •22.3. Certain sections of our website (such as blogs or learning resources) may be accessible to users aged 15 and above. •22.4. We may collect data from users of all ages who interact with these areas. •22.5. Users under 18 may access other areas of the website and may be exposed to general content available on the platform. We encourage parents and guardians to supervise and guide children’s online activities. SECURITY, COMPLAINTS, AND LEGAL MATTERS 23. ENCRYPTION OF DATA We are committed to protecting your personal information. Our website uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption to: •Verify our identity to your browser •Encrypt data transmitted between you and our systems You can confirm that your connection is secure by checking for a padlock icon in your browser’s address bar and ensuring the website URL begins with “https://”. 24. HOW TO MAKE A COMPLAINT If you have any concerns about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us in the first instance: Email: info@aai.ac.mu We will make every effort to resolve your complaint promptly and fairly. •24.1. If your concern is not resolved, we encourage you to engage with us in good faith to seek a resolution, including through mediation or alternative dispute resolution where appropriate. •24.2. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. For example, in the United Kingdom, you may contact the Information Commissioner's Office at: https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ 25. RETENTION OF PERSONAL DATA. We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, including: •25.1. To provide the services you have requested •25.2. To comply with legal, regulatory, and tax obligations •25.3. To establish, exercise, or defend legal claims Once personal data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or anonymized. 26. COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS This Privacy Policy has been developed to comply with relevant data protection laws in the jurisdictions where AAI Ltd operates. If you believe this policy does not meet the legal requirements of your jurisdiction, we encourage you to contact us so we can review and address your concerns. Your continued use of our website indicates your acceptance of this Privacy Policy. 27. UPDATES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal, regulatory, or operational requirements. The most current version will always be published on our website, and the terms in effect at the time of your use of the website will apply. We recommend that you review this policy periodically and retain a copy for your records. CONTACT US If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your personal data is handled, please contact us at: Email: info@aai.ac.mu