Last updated: October 2026

Sheffield Hallam University is committed to protecting your personal information and being transparent about how we use it. This privacy notice explains how your information is collected and used when you interact with our applicant chatbot.

Who is responsible for your data?

Sheffield Hallam University ('the University') is the data controller for the personal information collected through this chatbot.

The chatbot is provided on behalf of the University by our technology supplier, Galvia. Galvia ('the supplier') is a data processor for personal information collected through this chatbot.

Purpose of the chatbot

Current student chatbot: This chatbot provides information and signposts to services that are relevant to current students. You will be directed to this chatbot if you identify as a current student when you enter the Hallam Helper chatbot or if you enter from a current student route. The chatbot uses information from the internal student intranet and approved knowledge sources to answer common questions and provide guidance throughout the student journey.

Prospective student chatbot: The prospective student chatbot has been implemented to help prospective students, applicants, parents, employers and other enquirers access information about studying at Sheffield Hallam University. The chatbot uses information from externally facing Sheffield Hallam University websites and approved knowledge sources to answer common questions and provide guidance throughout the applicant journey.

What information do we collect?

You can use the chatbot anonymously. You will only be asked for personal information if you choose to:

• Current students: Submit an enquiry for follow-up by the Hallam Help Team
• Prospective students: Sign up to receive email marketing communications from the University ("Stay in Touch", or by opting in when submitting an enquiry).
• Prospective students: Submit an enquiry for follow-up by the Student Recruitment Operations Team – you will be asked for your email address so that we can contact you to discuss your enquiry.

If you choose to provide your details through the prospective student chatbot, we may collect:

• First name.
• Last name.
• Email address.
• Level of study (for example, undergraduate or postgraduate).
• Date of birth.
• Country of residence.

For enquiry submissions, we will also collect the information that you provide within your enquiry.

The chatbot may also collect anonymous usage information, such as the questions asked and general interaction patterns, to help us improve the service. This information cannot be linked back to you as an identifiable individual.

Why do we collect your information?

We use your personal information to:

• Respond to enquiries you submit through the chatbot (enquiry form only).

Prospective chatbot only:

• Send you tailored information about studying at Sheffield Hallam University, including courses, events and open days (where you have given consent).
• Create or update records within the University's customer relationship management (CRM) system.
• Understand applicant interests and engagement with activities.
• Evaluate and improve the effectiveness of our applicant support services.
• Prevent duplicate records within our CRM system.

Our lawful basis for processing

Marketing communications

Where you choose to sign up for updates and marketing communications, we will process your personal information based on your consent. You can withdraw this consent at any time.

You will only receive marketing communications if you opted in – the consent box is ticked automatically if you are completing the 'Stay in Touch' form, which is the explicit mechanism for signing yourself up to Marketing information.

If you submit an enquiry, either because this is your preferred method of communication, or because the chatbot didn't answer your enquiry satisfactorily, you will need to actively opt into email Marketing communication by selecting the relevant consent checkbox.

You can unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time using the unsubscribe link included in our emails or by contacting the University.

Enquiries

Where you submit an enquiry to the University, we will process your personal information so that we can respond to your question and provide the information or support you have requested.

Children's data

The chatbot is publicly available; however, personal details may only be submitted by individuals aged 16 or over.

Age validation is performed by the supplier when personal information is entered. If the date of birth provided indicates that the user is under 16, the submission will not be accepted, and the user will be informed that they are not old enough to provide consent.

Who do we share your information with?

Sheffield Hallam University

Information submitted through the chatbot is transferred into the University's systems, including its CRM platform, where it is managed in accordance with university policies and retention schedules – please see the privacy notice for student applicants for more information.

Current students should refer to https://www.shu.ac.uk/about-this-website/privacy-policy/privacy-notices/privacy-notice-for-students 

Galvia

The supplier, Galvia, provides the chatbot technology on behalf of Sheffield Hallam University.

When you submit personal information through the chatbot:

• Galvia acts as a data processor on behalf of the University.
• Personal information is passed securely to the University's systems.
• Galvia does not retain or store your personal information after transfer.
• Galvia only retains technical records showing that a transfer occurred, not the personal information itself.

The chatbot also maintains anonymous conversation logs to help improve service quality and performance.

These logs:

• Do not identify you personally.
• Cannot be linked back to an individual user.
• Do not contain personal information submitted through forms.
• Are used for analytics, service improvement and trend monitoring.

The chatbot may temporarily remember certain preferences during your session, such as your area of study interest. These preferences are stored for up to 24 hours to improve your experience and are linked only to your session, not to your identity.

Service providers and sub-processors

The chatbot is hosted using Google Cloud infrastructure within Europe. Appropriate contractual and technical safeguards are in place to protect your information.

How long do we keep your information?

Personal information submitted through the chatbot is transferred to Sheffield Hallam University's CRM system and then managed according to the University's retention schedules and records management policies. Please see the wider University privacy notice for student applicants.

Current students should refer to https://www.shu.ac.uk/about-this-website/privacy-policy/privacy-notices/privacy-notice-for-students 

Galvia does not retain your personal information after it has been successfully transferred to university systems.

What are your rights?

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate information.
• Request deletion of your information in certain circumstances.
• Restrict how we use your information in certain circumstances.
• Withdraw your consent for marketing communications at any time.
• Object to the use of your information for direct marketing.
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

How to exercise your rights

To exercise any of your data protection rights or to ask questions about how your information is used, please contact the Information Governance Team at Sheffield Hallam University at DPO@shu.ac.uk.

Further information

For more information about how Sheffield Hallam University processes personal information, please see the privacy notice for student applicants.

Current students should refer to https://www.shu.ac.uk/about-this-website/privacy-policy/privacy-notices/privacy-notice-for-students