Privacy - ACE

Privacy & Data Protection Policy

From here onwards American Center For Education will be abbreviated as ACE.

American Center For Education is an established and trusted private educational institution. We are committed to maintain a high standard of confidentiality with regard to the personal data of our students, alumni, employees and lecturers in accordance with the requirements of the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (the “PDPA”).

Please see our Data Protection Policy below, so as to understand how we collect, share and protect the personal data of our students, alumni, employees and lecturers.

If you have any feedback or queries in relation to this policy please drop an email to info@ace.edu.sg or to our Personal Data Protection Officer (DPO) at info@ace.edu.sg

Data Protection Policy

ACE respects the privacy of students, alumni, employees and lecturers, be they living or deceased, and recognises the importance of the personal data you have entrusted to us. We are also committed to adhering to the provisions and principles of the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (“PDPA”). As such, this Personal Data Protection Statement is to assist you in understanding how we collect, use and/or disclose your personal data.

To properly perform the functions of a university and to comply with its legal obligations, we will need to process and keep certain personal data about all individuals with whom it has dealings, including its employees and students.

This policy explains what types of personal data will be gathered and how ACE deals with the personal and other data collected through its website at www.ACE.edu.sg.

1. What is Personal Data?

Personal data refers to data about an individual who can be identified from that data whether true or not; or from other info that the organisation has or is likely to have access. It does not include business contact information.

Examples of Personal Data:

• Unique Identifiers: NRIC number, eg. S1234567C

• Set of data which when put together would identify an individual: Name, age, occupation, address, eg. “Mr XYZ, 28 years old, student, lives at Blk 1 Bishan Street 2”

• Personal data may include the following:

Full Name	NRIC, FIN or Passport number
Photograph or video image of an individual	Mobile telephone number
Residential telephone number	Name and residential address
Personal/ Office email address	Thumbprint for biometric purposes

2. Collection of Personal Data

ACE will collect personal data only if the information is necessary for one or more of its functions or activities. It will do so only by lawful and fair means and not in an unreasonably intrusive way. We will not collect excessive or irrelevant information.

When we collect personal data about an individual from the individual, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the individual is aware of:

The identity of ACE and how to contact us; and
The fact that he or she is able to gain access to his/her personal data; and
The purposes for which personal data is collected (“primary purpose”); and
To whom (or the types of individuals, organisations or entities to which) ACE usually discloses such personal data; and
Any law that requires the personal data to be collected; and
The main consequences (if any) for the individual if all or part of the personal data is not provided.

If it is reasonable and practicable to do so, ACE will collect personal data about an individual only from that individual. However, there will be instances where we will obtain such information from other sources, e.g. references for employment purposes; results data for prospective students, verification of formal qualifications of staff and students etc. In such instances, ACE will take reasonable steps to ensure that the individual is or has been made aware of the matters listed in paragraph 3.2, except to the extent that making the individual aware of the matters would pose a serious threat to the life or health of any individual.

ACE ensures that your Personal Data held by us shall be kept confidential. When transferring personal data to our third party service providers, agents and/or our affiliates or related corporations whether in Singapore or elsewhere in order to carry out one or more of the purposes listed above, we will require them to ensure that your Personal Data disclosed to them is kept confidential and secure.

3. Collection, Use and Disclosure of Personal Data

Personal data provided online by you will only be used by ACE for the purposes stated when the information is requested (e.g. student administration, provision of services and the dissemination of information to staff, prospective and current students and remaining in contact with graduates, for future communication back to online registrants/enrolees to keep you informed of activities such as campus programmes, symposia and/or special events).

By furnishing us with your personal information, you agree for ACE to use your name, photograph, quotes and all other such data necessary for the purpose of promoting our academic programmes on various media platforms and/or channels such as on newspapers, websites, brochures, posters, flyers, e-mailers (eDMs), social media like Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram), as well as others deemed suitable and/or appropriate.

ACE will not disclose your personal data without your consent unless otherwise required or authorised by law.

If you choose to send an application or email containing personal data, ACE may, in order to process the application or to render you a service, share relevant personal data within ACE and/or if necessary, with the Ministry of Education and other government agencies or statutory bodies or non-government agencies authorised to carry out specific government services and duties, unless such sharing is prohibited by the Act or other legislation.

Personal data will not be sold to third parties, or provided to direct marketing companies or other such organisations without your consent.

Information about your visit to the ACE website may also be logged to provide ACE with de-identified statistical analysis about users’ online experiences and trends as well as the popularity and effectiveness of ACE’s website and troubleshooting purposes.

ACE may disclose your personal data to a third party (e.g. your family or medical or security personnel) if the disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety or that of another person.

4. Withdrawal of Consent

In accordance with the PDPA provisions, individuals have the right to withdraw consent given to ACE for the collection, use and / or disclosure of personal data.

To notify us that you wish to withdraw your consent to ACE using and sharing your Personal Data for a particular purpose(s), please email the DPO at info@ace.edu.sg

Once we receive your email, ACE will discontinue sending marketing messages to you and cease using your personal data within 5 working days from the date of receipt of your notice.

Please understand that after your withdrawal of consent, ACE will continue to retain your Personal Data for ACE’s business and legal purposes in accordance with applicable legislation, including the Singapore Personal Data Protection Act 2012.

5. Accuracy and Access of Personal Data

As ACE relies on your Personal Data to provide services to you, you shall ensure that at all times the information provided by you to us are correct, accurate and complete. Student shall update us in a timely manner of all changes to the information provided to us through the Student Services Centre. Alumni and lecturers shall update their Personal Data to our relevant departments as and when necessary or through our annual update.

You can view your personal data which ACE has collected and stored at any time. In order to do so, you will need to submit the request for access for personal data to the relevant departments for access to view your personal data. Your right to view your personal data is limited to your personal data only. ACE is not permitted to reveal any personal data about any other individual. ACE reserves the right to refuse access to your personal data if it will reveal or lead to the revelation of another individual’s personal data, cause harm to you or another individual or is contrary to the national interest.

6. Protection and Retention of Personal Data

Personal data provided by you will ordinarily be stored on ACE’s secure servers. However, ACE may work with third party service providers to host and/or operate certain features of the website. ACE will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your personal data held by such third party service providers will be kept, used and disclosed in accordance with this policy.

We will take commercially reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify personal data if it is no longer needed for any purpose. Destruction of personal data will be carried out in accordance with ACE’s prevailing policies and procedures for records retention and management.

7. Transfer of Personal Data

ACE will only transfer personal data about an individual to someone or an entity (other than ACE or the individual) who is outside Singapore if:

ACE reasonably believes that the recipient of the personal data is subject to a law, binding scheme or contract which effectively upholds principles for fair handling of the personal data that are substantially similar to the principles set out in this policy; or
the transfer is necessary for the performance of a contract between the individual and ACE, or for the implementation of pre-contractual measures taken in response to the individual’s request; or
ACE has taken reasonable steps to ensure that the personal data which it has transferred will not be held, used or disclosed by the recipient of the personal data inconsistently with this policy.

8. Updates to this Policy

ACE reserves the right to amend this Policy with or without notice from time to time.

If you have any feedback or queries in relation to this policy please drop an email to info@ace.edu.sg