1. Introduction
The International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU) is committed to protecting personal data and respecting privacy. This Privacy Notice explains how personal data is collected, used, shared, retained and safeguarded by IAMU in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including the GDPR. It applies when you interact with IAMU’s official website (https://iamu-edu.org). Simply visiting the website does not require you to provide personal data, unless you voluntarily submit information such as an online survey form.

2. Data Controller
The data controller responsible for processing your personal data is:
International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU) Secretariat
For any inquiries, pleaes use our contact form 

3. Collection of Personal Data
When you browse or interact with IAMU’s website, we may collect the following personal data:
• Name, email address, and institutional affiliation (if voluntarily provided through surveys or other interactive features)
• Technical data such as IP address, browser type, and browsing behavior
IAMU may conduct surveys that are designed to be fully anonymous. When surveys do not collect or retain any information that can identify individuals, the responses are not considered personal data and fall outside the scope of this privacy policy.

4. Purpose of Processing
IAMU uses the collected data for the following purposes:
• To maintain and improve the website’s functionality and user experience
• To understand general user interests through voluntary surveys or questionnaires
• To ensure website security and prevent misuse

5. Legal Basis for Processing
The legal basis for processing your personal data under GDPR is as follows:
• Article 6(1)(a): Consent, when you voluntarily provide information via forms
• Article 6(1)(f): Legitimate interest, such as improving the website and responding to inquiries
Where applicable, your consent will be obtained through clear and affirmative actions before any personal data is collected. You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting IAMU.

6. Sharing of Data
IAMU does not actively collect personal information such as your name, email address, or institutional affiliation through normal use of the IAMU website. Any personal information voluntarily submitted through online forms, event registrations, or surveys is handled in accordance with the IAMU Privacy Notice.
Technical data such as IP addresses, browser type, and cookie information may be collected automatically by third-party service providers when you access the IAMU website. These third parties process such information in accordance with their own privacy policies, which may involve transfers to countries outside Japan or the European Economic Area (EEA). IAMU does not control these third parties and is not responsible for their data protection practices.
IAMU does not sell or lease any personal data it receives, and no information under IAMU’s direct control is shared with other organizations without your consent, except where required by law.

7. External Links
Our website may provide links to external websites. Personal data submitted through these external sites is governed by their respective privacy policies, and IAMU does not control how such data is collected or processed. However, IAMU may receive participant information from these platforms to support the organization of IAMU events. IAMU does not endorse and is not responsible for the privacy practices, security measures, or content of any external websites.

8. Security of Data
While no system can be completely secure, IAMU applies appropriate technical and organizational measures, including restricted access, secure storage, encryption, and regular review of security practices, to protect personal data. Employees of IAMU who have access to such data are bound by strict confidentiality obligations.
In the event IAMU is informed by its service providers of a personal data breach involving information collected through the IAMU website, IAMU will assess the nature of the incident and, where direct notification to individuals is not feasible, may provide a public notice on the IAMU website.

9. Retention of Data
Personal data submitted through the website will be retained only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes stated above. IAMU will securely delete or anonymize data that is no longer required.

10. Your Rights
You have the following rights with respect to your personal data that IAMU directly controls:
• Access – to obtain a copy of your personal data.
• Rectification – to have inaccurate personal data corrected.
• Erasure – to have your personal data deleted.
• Objection – to object to the processing of your personal data.
• Withdrawal of Consent – to withdraw your consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.
• Complaint – to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.
Please note: Information collected through cookies, analytics tools, or third-party plugins may not be directly controlled by IAMU. In such cases, IAMU will provide guidance on how you can exercise your rights directly with the relevant third-party provider.
To exercise your rights, please contact IAMU at info@iamu-edu.org.

11. Applicable Law and Competent Court
IAMU is committed to protecting personal data in compliance with applicable data protection regulations, in particular the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Any disputes arising in connection with this Privacy Notice shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Japan. Before seeking judicial resolution, IAMU will make reasonable efforts to resolve disputes amicably, including through direct communication or alternative dispute resolution methods.

Note:
This Privacy Notice may be updated periodically.

October 2025