Awarding organisation innovative use of artificial intelligence

This webinar concludes our series of workshops exploring awarding organisations’ innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) in qualifications and assessment design and delivery. 

In the session we will summarise key insights from the five previous workshops and provide an opportunity for you to inform our next steps for this work.

Privacy Notice for online events and online meetings

This privacy notice explains how and why Ofqual uses personal data collected when you attend our online events. “Online events” refers to meetings, webinars, workshops, and broadcast events hosted by Ofqual virtually.

It outlines:

• the types of personal data we collect
• the purposes for processing
• the legal basis for processing
• the safeguards in place to protect your information
• your rights under data protection legislation

It also describes the third-party services we may use to facilitate these events, including platforms for hosting events, automated transcription and using digital assistance tools, polls, recordings, video editing, video uploading and sharing, AI bots, and registering for events. One or more of these services may apply to the event you are attending.

Ofqual is the data controller for personal data collected in relation to our online events. We may use third-party services (such as Microsoft Teams and TicketTailor) to deliver these events. These providers act as data processors.

We have contracts in place with all data processors. This means they cannot process your personal information unless instructed by us. They are required to store data securely and retain it only for the period we specify. Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it.

For further information about how Ofqual handles personal data, please refer to Ofqual’s Personal Information Charter and Personal Data Protection Policy.

Occasionally, we may use a survey platform to identify participants or gather information about your interests in a particular qualification, programme, or area of work. In such cases, a relevant privacy notice will be provided.

For some meetings, such as those involving Responsible Officers, we may already hold attendee information. In these instances, we may send Outlook calendar invitations using email addresses provided through your Portal user registration.

Microsoft Teams (including Microsoft tools) is used by Ofqual when running online events. Please refer to the Microsoft privacy statement, which explains how Microsoft processes data.

To support collaboration and improve accessibility, we may use automated transcription and digital assistance tools (for example, Microsoft Copilot). These tools help summarise contributions, capture key points, and provide follow-up support. If used, transcripts will be stored securely and used to inform internal records, actions or decisions.

We may use Microsoft Teams Polls to gather feedback, preferences or other relevant information from attendees during online events. These polls are designed to support engagement and inform decision-making related to a particular qualification, programme or area of work. Participation is voluntary, and responses may be collected anonymously or linked to identifiable information, depending on the purpose of the poll.

We may use Microsoft Teams to record online events for the purposes of documentation and wider sharing of information. These recordings may capture audio, video and shared content. In some cases, individuals outside Ofqual may be identifiable (which may be planned or unplanned). Where this occurs, we will request consent from identifiable individuals. If you have concerns, please contact us in advance of the event. We will provide information about how your data will be used and your rights under applicable data protection laws.

Microsoft Clipchamp is a Microsoft video editing tool which may be used by us to edit recordings of online events. Editing may be used to remove sensitive content, enhance accessibility (such as adding captions) or produce summaries for internal use. Edited content is stored securely, and access is restricted to authorised personnel.

We may upload recordings of online events to Microsoft Stream, a video-sharing platform within the Microsoft 365 environment. These recordings are used to provide access to content to learning or reference purposes. Recordings uploaded to Stream are stored securely, and access is restricted to authorised personnel.

We have ensured that Microsoft stores data within UK-based datacentres. We continue to seek assurances from Microsoft that any processing of personal information upholds the rights and freedoms of data subjects. This privacy notice will be updated with further information as and when appropriate.

Third-party transcripts and recordings

Our privacy notice does not extend to transcripts or recordings made by attendees, including those generated by AI bots. These practices are therefore not permitted at our online events to safeguard the privacy of all participants. We ask that AI tools such as Read.AI are not used during Ofqual-hosted events.

Registering for events

We use the TicketTailor platform to manage event ticketing for our online events. TicketTailor acts as a data processor and only collects personal information from individuals who choose to book a place at one of our online events. To register for an event without using TicketTailor, please see Alternative registration process.

Details of the personal data processed by TicketTailor can be found in its privacy policy and terms and conditions:

• TicketTailor Terms and Conditions
• TicketTailor Privacy Policy

For further information about how Ofqual handles personal data, refer to Ofqual’s Personal information charter - Ofqual - GOV.UK

Data retention for booking onto an event

Personal data will be deleted:

• within 3 months for special category data such as accessibility
• 6 years for all other data in accordance with our retention policy
  

Alternative registration process

If you wish to attend one of our events but do not wish to use TicketTailor to book a place you can. Please send a Contact the Regulator message, through the Portal, with the title of the event as the subject.

Why we need your data when registering for events

In all cases, we need information about you to allow you to access these online events to ensure the right people are present, whether as an attendee or presenter. We need your full name, email address, and details of your organisation to process any booking.

We use the TicketTailor platform where we are not specifying the exact audience for an event, and it is up to individuals to sign up as they see fit.

How we will use your registration data

We use the registration data you provide through TicketTailor to process your booking. Once you have registered on TicketTailor, you will receive an automatic email with the Microsoft Teams link for the event. If you do not receive this email in your inbox, you may find it in your junk mail folders. We review registration information regularly and may send an Outlook diary meeting invitation with the Microsoft Teams link to registered attendees. We may also use the data you have provided to contact you via email or the Portal regarding your booking or attendance. 

Attendance data

Our online events are hosted through Microsoft Teams. When you click on the join link for an event, this will generate data which will be processed by Microsoft Teams. Microsoft Teams is one of our data processors.

We will use attendance data to produce attendance reports to allow us to gauge the usefulness of individual events and follow up with attendees who may need the information from the event but were unable to attend.

We may also collect:

• questions posed in the events by attendees
• text from the associated in-meeting chat
• responses from polls

We use this to inform products to help improve AOs’ understanding of our Conditions, including Portal articles. We never publish names of individuals or organisations without gaining consent.

Why we process your personal data

We process your personal data before, during and after online events, to support effective communication, collaboration and to ensure transparency, accountability and continuous improvement in our regulatory activities.

We use services of third-party providers (data processors) to support our work which may include:

• recording events via Microsoft Teams to document discussions and share learning
• generating transcripts to improve accessibility, enable searchability, and support accurate record-keeping
• using Copilot to summarise events (including meetings), extract key actions and enhance productivity
• editing recordings with Clipchamp and publishing to Microsoft Stream for sharing content and long-term access
• gathering feedback and insights through polls to inform policy and practice

Copilot for Microsoft 365 is an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that uses a combination of Large Language Models (LLMs), which apply deep learning techniques and large datasets to summarise and generate content.

Where Copilot is used, personal data is processed in line with the original purposes for which it was provided and in accordance with this notice. Copilot inherits the security, compliance, and privacy policies that Ofqual has set up in Microsoft 365. Your personal data will not be used for any automated decision-making, including profiling.

Our legal basis for processing your personal data

Ofqual may process your personal data under the lawful basis of a public task (article 6(1)(e) UK GDPR). The use of your personal data is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller (Ofqual).

Ofqual does not seek to collect special categories of personal data, but we may incidentally process such data (for example, where it is discussed in events). To the extent we do so, our legal reason for processing this information is that the processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest for statutory or government purposes (article 9(2)(g) UK GDPR and paragraph 6 to Schedule 1 Part 2 of the DPA 2018). Where Ofqual requires personal information about your dietary or accessibility requirements the lawful basis for processing such data is explicit consent (article 9(2)(a) UK GDPR).

What personal data we process

We are likely to obtain personal data including but not limited to:

• Names, job titles, organisation and email addresses of attendees
• Images, audio and shared screen content
• Information entered in the chat function
• Opinions or decisions shared during events
• Any other personal data disclosed during the events

Data sharing and storage

The event recordings are stored securely within Ofqual’s Microsoft 365 environment. Data is not shared externally unless required by law or for audit purposes. Where Ofqual uses Copilot, no personal data is retained by Microsoft.

How long we keep your personal data for

Ofqual will retain your personal data (which may include, but not be limited to, names, job titles, organisation and email addresses of attendees) for 6 years in accordance with our retention policy. Special category data we retain such as accessibility needs will be deleted by us within 3 months of the event end date.

Recordings of online events may be retained for the purposes of documentation and wider sharing of information. These recordings may capture audio, video and shared content. In some cases, individuals outside Ofqual may be identifiable (which may be planned or unplanned). Where this occurs, we will request consent from identifiable individuals, and the retention period will be clearly stated within the relevant consent information.

Transcripts will be retained in accordance with Ofqual’s retention schedules and only for as long as necessary to fulfil their purpose.

Your rights

You have the right to:

• be informed that your personal data is being processed by Ofqual
• access the information we hold about you
• request that we rectify any information about you that is incorrect
• request that data we hold about you are erased. There are certain conditions which apply to the erasure of personal data, depending on the purpose of processing. You will be informed if your request has been declined and the reason for this
• restrict processing in certain circumstances

To exercise these rights, please contact Ofqual’s Data Protection Officer (contact details given below).

How Ofqual protects your personal data

All Ofqual employees are required to respect the personal data and privacy of others and must ensure that appropriate protection and security measures are taken against unlawful or unauthorised processing of personal data. This includes controls to protect against the accidental loss of, or damage to personal data and to ensure that personal data is not accessed except by our employees in the proper performance of their duties.

The data protection legislation includes provisions that promote accountability, good information governance and data security. Ofqual has technical, procedural, administrative controls and processes in place to make sure your personal data is protected; these are supported and underpinned by information assurance and security policies and guidance.

For more information, please contact Ofqual’s Data Protection Officer (contact details given below).

Contact Information

You can contact Ofqual at:

Ofqual

2nd Floor, One Friargate, Station Square, Coventry

CV1 2FL

Email: public.enquiries@ofqual.gov.uk

Telephone 0300 303 3344

Ofqual’s Data Protection Officer dp.requests@ofqual.gov.uk

Making a complaint

If you believe that Ofqual has not complied with your data protection rights, please contact Ofqual’s Data Protection Officer in the first instance.

You also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at:

The Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113 www.ico.org.uk