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CHiwi Foundation Privacy Policy
CHiwi Foundation Privacy Policy
1. Introduction
The CHiwi Foundation will be referred to in this Privacy Policy as “CHiwi,” “we,” “us,” or “our.”
We are committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all individuals who interact with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data in accordance with the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP), the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We adhere to the following fundamental principles:
By submitting a funding application and when entering into a contractual relationship with CHiwi, individuals and organisations confirm they have read this Privacy Policy and provide their informed consent to the collection, processing, and storage of their personal data as outlined herein.
This Privacy Policy applies to all personal data collected or processed by CHiwi, whether through our websites, applications for funding, communications, or other interactions.
CHiwi is subject to the FADP and complies with the GDPR.
3. Contact Details
The person responsible for the processing of personal data within the meaning of FADP including the GDPR is:
Ms. Trang Fernandez-Leenknecht
Secretary General of CHiwi Foundation
Email: tfl@chiwi.ch
For data protection-related inquiries, you may also contact us at:
Email: info@chiwi.ch
Postal Address: CHiwi Stiftung, Westhive, Oberallmendstrasse 18, 6300 Zug, Switzerland
4. Which Personal Data We Collect
Personal data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable natural person. We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:
Please note that, if you provide CHiwi with personal data that is not required for the requested service, we will only process such data to the extent it is compatible with the original purpose or otherwise permitted by law. We will delete or anonymise any data that is no longer required for these purposes.
5. Purposes and Legal Bases for Processing
CHiwi processes personal data exclusively for specific and legitimate purposes, in accordance with applicable data protection laws. We process your personal data for the following purposes:
If you are a registered user of a CHiwi website and have provided your email address, we may occasionally contact you to share updates about the foundation, request feedback, or inform you about new features and activities.
If you send us a request (e.g., via support email or a feedback form), we may share relevant parts of your message internally or with our service providers solely to the extent necessary to provide the requested response.
When you submit an application for funding or enter into a contractual relationship with CHiwi, your data is processed by our service provider, Infomaniak (Switzerland), acting as a data processor on our behalf. Learn more about Infomaniak’s privacy practices here.
Please note that, if the required data is not provided, CHiwi may be unable to provide or complete the requested services and may, in some cases, choose not to enter into or continue the contractual relationship.
Be aware that CHiwi does not use your personal data for automated individual decision-making, including profiling, that produces legal or similarly significant effects.
6. How We Collect Your Data
Directly from you, for example when you submit applications, fill out forms, send emails, or communicate with us through other channels.
From publicly accessible sources or third parties, such as government agencies.
Please note that when we obtain personal data from third parties, we will inform you accordingly, unless you already possess the relevant information, have previously given your consent, or the collection is necessary to fulfil services to which you have implicitly consented, or an exception under applicable data protection law applies.
Automatically through our website: CHiwi’s website is hosted by Infomaniak, a company based in Switzerland. Each time you access our website, Infomaniak automatically records certain information in standard server log files, including your IP address, the date and time of access, the browser request, the operating system used, and the type of browser. This information is used for the purposes of detecting technical problems, maintaining system security, and performing statistical analyses of website usage.
7. Use of Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Cookies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device by your web browser at the request of a website. They are used to identify returning visitors, track usage patterns, and remember user preferences. CHiwi uses cookies to help understand how visitors interact with our website, improve functionality, enhance the user experience, and protect against spam and misuse.
When you first visit our website, you will be presented with a cookie banner allowing you to manage your cookie preferences. You can choose to accept only essential cookies or customise your choices at any time through your browser settings or the cookie management tool provided.
If you prefer not to accept cookies, you can configure your browser settings at any time to refuse and manage them. However, please note that some features of the CHiwi website may not function properly without cookies enabled.
While our website uses cookies to enhance the browsing experience, analyse website traffic, and ensure proper website functionality, cookies may collect technical information which, particularly when combined with other data, may relate to an identifiable person. We use essential cookies to ensure proper website functionality, and rely on your consent via our cookie banner for non-essential analytics cookies. Cookies may, however, be used in combination with other information you voluntarily provide to help improve our services and communications. We only use essential and analytics cookies, and we do not use cookies for advertising or profiling purposes.
Third-Party Services
The third-party services listed below may receive technical data (such as your IP address) when you visit our website, and their processing may involve data transfers outside Switzerland:
Google LLC (United States)
LinkedIn Corporation (United States), Xing (Germany)
When you visit a page on our website that contains LinkedIn or Xing elements, your browser automatically establishes a connection to LinkedIn’s or Xing’s servers. As a result, LinkedIn or Xing may receive information such as your IP address and the fact that you visited our website. If you are logged into your LinkedIn or Xing account and interact with LinkedIn or Xing features, for example, by clicking the “Recommend” button, LinkedIn or Xing may associate your visit with your personal LinkedIn or Xing profile. Please note that CHiwi has no access to or control over the content of the data transmitted to LinkedIn or Xing, or how it is used. For further information, please consult LinkedIn’s or Xing’s privacy policy.
8. Disclosure of Personal Data to Third Parties
Personal data is disclosed to third parties only where necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, where you have given your explicit consent, or where disclosure is required or permitted by law. Where disclosure is necessary to perform a contract or respond to your request, we will inform you in advance before any disclosure takes place. We disclose personal data to:
Where necessary, personal data may be transferred to countries outside Switzerland. Such transfers will occur only where the destination country offers an adequate level of data protection or where appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs).
Switzerland has been recognised by the European Commission as providing an adequate level of data protection.
10. Data Security Measures
CHiwi implements appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect the personal data you provide against unauthorised or unlawful access.
Access to this website is secured through transport encryption (SSL/TLS), which is indicated by the “https://” prefix in your browser’s address bar and the lock symbol displayed in the browser. This encryption ensures that any data you transmit to us is protected during transmission.
Despite these strong security measures, please be aware that internet communications may not be fully secure and may be subject to interception or monitoring by third parties or authorities in some jurisdictions. CHiwi has no control over such external monitoring activities.
In addition, complete data security cannot be guaranteed when communicating via email, instant messaging, or similar channels. We therefore recommend using alternative secure communication methods when transmitting particularly sensitive or confidential information.
For further details about the technical and organisational measures we implement to protect your personal data, you are welcome to contact us directly.
11. Data Retention and Storage
CHiwi retains personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the specific purposes for which it was collected or to comply with applicable legal, regulatory, and internal policy requirements. We maintain a detailed record of all personal data processing activities, which includes the purpose of processing, the categories of data collected, the legal basis for processing, any data transfers to third countries or international organisations, and the applicable retention periods or criteria for data deletion.
Personal data is retained for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. In most cases, this corresponds to the duration of our relationship, followed by a retention period (typically up to ten years) to comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations.
To determine appropriate retention periods, CHiwi applies defined criteria based on the nature and purpose of the data, including account maintenance, relationship management, and the need to respond to legal or regulatory inquiries. Personal data that may be relevant for future applications from the same applicant may also be retained beyond the current engagement, in accordance with applicable law and the data subject’s rights.
Once data is no longer required, it is deleted automatically and without any action required from the data subject.
Personal data is securely stored on servers located in Switzerland and, where necessary, may be transferred abroad in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
14. Retention of Rejected Applications
Personal data and documentation from applications not selected for funding will be retained until the end of the corresponding call for proposals program following the completion of the relevant application cycle. After this period, the data will be permanently deleted, unless a longer retention period is required by applicable law, separately agreed in writing, or for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims.
15. Your Rights as a Data Subject
CHiwi is committed to ensuring that your personal data is accurate and processed in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including, where relevant, the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP). If your personal data changes, we kindly ask that you inform us as soon as possible.
Depending on the applicable law and the circumstances as a data subject, you have the following rights:
If you reside in the EU, you may contact the data protection authority in your member state of residence. To make a request regarding any of your rights, please contact us at info@chiwi.ch. We may take reasonable steps to verify your identity before responding and will address your request in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
Please note that these rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exceptions or overriding interests, such as legal obligations, public interest, or the exercise or defence of legal claims.
16. Updates to This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy was last updated in May 2026. It is intended to inform you about how CHiwi processes personal data and does not constitute a contractual agreement
CHiwi may update this Privacy Policy from time to time at its discretion. We encourage you to review this page regularly. Your continued use of our services after changes have been published constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
The current version of this Privacy Policy published on our website applies. We will inform you of any significant changes by appropriate means, such as email or website notifications.
1. Introduction
The CHiwi Foundation will be referred to in this Privacy Policy as “CHiwi,” “we,” “us,” or “our.”
We are committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all individuals who interact with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data in accordance with the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP), the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We adhere to the following fundamental principles:
- We collect only the personal data necessary for specific, legitimate purposes.
- We process personal data solely for the purposes for which it was collected.
- We maintain strict confidentiality and do not disclose personal data except as permitted by law or with your explicit consent.
- Why and how CHiwi collects, uses, stores, and processes your personal data;
- The legal basis on which your personal data is processed under applicable data protection laws;
- Who may have access to your data, and under what conditions it may be shared;
- How long CHiwi retains your data, and how we determine retention periods;
- What rights you have as a data subject under Swiss and EU law.
By submitting a funding application and when entering into a contractual relationship with CHiwi, individuals and organisations confirm they have read this Privacy Policy and provide their informed consent to the collection, processing, and storage of their personal data as outlined herein.
This Privacy Policy applies to all personal data collected or processed by CHiwi, whether through our websites, applications for funding, communications, or other interactions.
CHiwi is subject to the FADP and complies with the GDPR.
3. Contact Details
The person responsible for the processing of personal data within the meaning of FADP including the GDPR is:
Ms. Trang Fernandez-Leenknecht
Secretary General of CHiwi Foundation
Email: tfl@chiwi.ch
For data protection-related inquiries, you may also contact us at:
Email: info@chiwi.ch
Postal Address: CHiwi Stiftung, Westhive, Oberallmendstrasse 18, 6300 Zug, Switzerland
4. Which Personal Data We Collect
Personal data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable natural person. We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:
- Contact information (e.g., name, address, email address, telephone number);
- Organisational information (e.g., declarations from institutions, official documents);
- Information submitted through applications, contact forms, or newsletters;
- Technical data (e.g., IP address, browser type, operating system, access times).
Please note that, if you provide CHiwi with personal data that is not required for the requested service, we will only process such data to the extent it is compatible with the original purpose or otherwise permitted by law. We will delete or anonymise any data that is no longer required for these purposes.
5. Purposes and Legal Bases for Processing
CHiwi processes personal data exclusively for specific and legitimate purposes, in accordance with applicable data protection laws. We process your personal data for the following purposes:
- Processing applications and managing relationships:
- Communication and support :
If you are a registered user of a CHiwi website and have provided your email address, we may occasionally contact you to share updates about the foundation, request feedback, or inform you about new features and activities.
If you send us a request (e.g., via support email or a feedback form), we may share relevant parts of your message internally or with our service providers solely to the extent necessary to provide the requested response.
- Regulatory compliance:
- Security and fraud prevention: To maintain the security of our systems, prevent fraud, and protect the rights, property, or safety of CHiwi, its users, or third parties
- Improvement of services:
- Informational updates :
When you submit an application for funding or enter into a contractual relationship with CHiwi, your data is processed by our service provider, Infomaniak (Switzerland), acting as a data processor on our behalf. Learn more about Infomaniak’s privacy practices here.
Please note that, if the required data is not provided, CHiwi may be unable to provide or complete the requested services and may, in some cases, choose not to enter into or continue the contractual relationship.
Be aware that CHiwi does not use your personal data for automated individual decision-making, including profiling, that produces legal or similarly significant effects.
6. How We Collect Your Data
Directly from you, for example when you submit applications, fill out forms, send emails, or communicate with us through other channels.
From publicly accessible sources or third parties, such as government agencies.
Please note that when we obtain personal data from third parties, we will inform you accordingly, unless you already possess the relevant information, have previously given your consent, or the collection is necessary to fulfil services to which you have implicitly consented, or an exception under applicable data protection law applies.
Automatically through our website: CHiwi’s website is hosted by Infomaniak, a company based in Switzerland. Each time you access our website, Infomaniak automatically records certain information in standard server log files, including your IP address, the date and time of access, the browser request, the operating system used, and the type of browser. This information is used for the purposes of detecting technical problems, maintaining system security, and performing statistical analyses of website usage.
7. Use of Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Cookies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device by your web browser at the request of a website. They are used to identify returning visitors, track usage patterns, and remember user preferences. CHiwi uses cookies to help understand how visitors interact with our website, improve functionality, enhance the user experience, and protect against spam and misuse.
When you first visit our website, you will be presented with a cookie banner allowing you to manage your cookie preferences. You can choose to accept only essential cookies or customise your choices at any time through your browser settings or the cookie management tool provided.
If you prefer not to accept cookies, you can configure your browser settings at any time to refuse and manage them. However, please note that some features of the CHiwi website may not function properly without cookies enabled.
While our website uses cookies to enhance the browsing experience, analyse website traffic, and ensure proper website functionality, cookies may collect technical information which, particularly when combined with other data, may relate to an identifiable person. We use essential cookies to ensure proper website functionality, and rely on your consent via our cookie banner for non-essential analytics cookies. Cookies may, however, be used in combination with other information you voluntarily provide to help improve our services and communications. We only use essential and analytics cookies, and we do not use cookies for advertising or profiling purposes.
Third-Party Services
The third-party services listed below may receive technical data (such as your IP address) when you visit our website, and their processing may involve data transfers outside Switzerland:
Google LLC (United States)
- Google Maps to embed interactive maps.
- Google reCAPTCHA to protect against bots and spams.
- YouTube for video embedding.
- Google Sheets and Google Docs.
LinkedIn Corporation (United States), Xing (Germany)
When you visit a page on our website that contains LinkedIn or Xing elements, your browser automatically establishes a connection to LinkedIn’s or Xing’s servers. As a result, LinkedIn or Xing may receive information such as your IP address and the fact that you visited our website. If you are logged into your LinkedIn or Xing account and interact with LinkedIn or Xing features, for example, by clicking the “Recommend” button, LinkedIn or Xing may associate your visit with your personal LinkedIn or Xing profile. Please note that CHiwi has no access to or control over the content of the data transmitted to LinkedIn or Xing, or how it is used. For further information, please consult LinkedIn’s or Xing’s privacy policy.
8. Disclosure of Personal Data to Third Parties
Personal data is disclosed to third parties only where necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, where you have given your explicit consent, or where disclosure is required or permitted by law. Where disclosure is necessary to perform a contract or respond to your request, we will inform you in advance before any disclosure takes place. We disclose personal data to:
- Employees, contractors, and affiliated organisations who require access and are bound by confidentiality obligations;
- Third parties with your explicit consent; we will inform you about the relevant third-party access unless an exception under applicable law applies, you already have the relevant information, have consented to it, or it is necessary to perform our services.
- Authorities when required by law, subpoena, or governmental request;
- Protect the rights, property, or safety of CHiwi or where permitted by law.
Where necessary, personal data may be transferred to countries outside Switzerland. Such transfers will occur only where the destination country offers an adequate level of data protection or where appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs).
Switzerland has been recognised by the European Commission as providing an adequate level of data protection.
10. Data Security Measures
CHiwi implements appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect the personal data you provide against unauthorised or unlawful access.
Access to this website is secured through transport encryption (SSL/TLS), which is indicated by the “https://” prefix in your browser’s address bar and the lock symbol displayed in the browser. This encryption ensures that any data you transmit to us is protected during transmission.
Despite these strong security measures, please be aware that internet communications may not be fully secure and may be subject to interception or monitoring by third parties or authorities in some jurisdictions. CHiwi has no control over such external monitoring activities.
In addition, complete data security cannot be guaranteed when communicating via email, instant messaging, or similar channels. We therefore recommend using alternative secure communication methods when transmitting particularly sensitive or confidential information.
For further details about the technical and organisational measures we implement to protect your personal data, you are welcome to contact us directly.
11. Data Retention and Storage
CHiwi retains personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the specific purposes for which it was collected or to comply with applicable legal, regulatory, and internal policy requirements. We maintain a detailed record of all personal data processing activities, which includes the purpose of processing, the categories of data collected, the legal basis for processing, any data transfers to third countries or international organisations, and the applicable retention periods or criteria for data deletion.
Personal data is retained for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. In most cases, this corresponds to the duration of our relationship, followed by a retention period (typically up to ten years) to comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations.
To determine appropriate retention periods, CHiwi applies defined criteria based on the nature and purpose of the data, including account maintenance, relationship management, and the need to respond to legal or regulatory inquiries. Personal data that may be relevant for future applications from the same applicant may also be retained beyond the current engagement, in accordance with applicable law and the data subject’s rights.
Once data is no longer required, it is deleted automatically and without any action required from the data subject.
Personal data is securely stored on servers located in Switzerland and, where necessary, may be transferred abroad in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
14. Retention of Rejected Applications
Personal data and documentation from applications not selected for funding will be retained until the end of the corresponding call for proposals program following the completion of the relevant application cycle. After this period, the data will be permanently deleted, unless a longer retention period is required by applicable law, separately agreed in writing, or for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims.
15. Your Rights as a Data Subject
CHiwi is committed to ensuring that your personal data is accurate and processed in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including, where relevant, the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP). If your personal data changes, we kindly ask that you inform us as soon as possible.
Depending on the applicable law and the circumstances as a data subject, you have the following rights:
- Right of access: You may request confirmation as to whether we process your personal data and, if so, obtain access to that data and related information.
- Right to rectification: You may ask us to correct or complete any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.
- Right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”): Under certain conditions, you may request the deletion of your personal data, particularly when it is no longer needed for the original purpose or when you withdraw your consent.
- Right to restrict processing: You may request that we limit the processing of your personal data in specific cases, such as when you contest its accuracy or object to the processing.
- Right to data portability: Where processing is based on your consent or a contract, and carried out by automated means, you may request to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, or request that it be transferred to another controller.
- Right to withdraw consent: Where we rely on your consent to process personal data, you may withdraw that consent at any time. This does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.
- Right to object: You may object to the processing of your personal data based on our legitimate interests. In such cases, we will assess whether we have compelling legal grounds to continue the processing.
- Right to lodge a complaint: You may contact the competent data protection authority if you believe that your data has been processed unlawfully, or your rights have been violated. In Switzerland, you may contact the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) via https://www.edoeb.admin.ch.
If you reside in the EU, you may contact the data protection authority in your member state of residence. To make a request regarding any of your rights, please contact us at info@chiwi.ch. We may take reasonable steps to verify your identity before responding and will address your request in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
Please note that these rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exceptions or overriding interests, such as legal obligations, public interest, or the exercise or defence of legal claims.
16. Updates to This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy was last updated in May 2026. It is intended to inform you about how CHiwi processes personal data and does not constitute a contractual agreement
CHiwi may update this Privacy Policy from time to time at its discretion. We encourage you to review this page regularly. Your continued use of our services after changes have been published constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
The current version of this Privacy Policy published on our website applies. We will inform you of any significant changes by appropriate means, such as email or website notifications.
Contact us
Email: info@chiwi.ch
CHiwi is a foundation for public utility
dedicated to advancing scientific research.
We are based in Switzerland, next to the beautiful lake of Zug.
dedicated to advancing scientific research.
We are based in Switzerland, next to the beautiful lake of Zug.
