The National eLearning Center (NeLC) was established by the Council of Ministers Decision No. (35) in 1439 AH, with the aim of enhancing trust in eLearning, enabling equal opportunities for lifelong access to eLearning, and driving sustainable innovation in eLearning to achieve reliable and accessible education for all. In line with its commitment to safeguarding beneficiary data and information, and maintaining the confidentiality and privacy of personal data in compliance with relevant laws and regulations, the Privacy Policy has been developed to clarify how personal data is collected, its purpose, methods of sharing, exchanging, and storing it, in addition to the rights of personal data subjects. It is important to note that the use of NeLC’s website and affiliated platforms constitutes the user's consent to this Privacy Policy, in accordance with the regulatory requirements under the Personal Data Protection Law and its Implementing Regulations.
Purpose of the Personal Data Collected
NeLC collects personal data to the extent necessary and for specific purposes related to eLearning services, ensuring their secure and reliable operation, and continuously improving them, in accordance with applicable legal justifications and in accordance with the principles of data minimization and purpose limitation. The categories of personal data that may be collected include, but are not limited to, the following, along with the purpose of each category:
- Account, Identification, and Contact Information
Examples: Name, ID number/system identifiers, address, contact numbers, email address, and login/account creation credentials.
Purpose: Creating and managing accounts, verifying identity when needed, enabling access to services, communicating regarding requests, technical support, operational notifications, and delivering services as required.
- Usage, Browsing, and Technical Log Data
Examples: IP address, browser and device type, session duration, visited pages, login logs, and cookie data (in accordance with the Cookie Policy).
Purpose: Operating platforms, improving performance and user experience, enhancing cybersecurity, monitoring unauthorized activities, preventing misuse, and conducting analytics to ensure services meet the minimum required standards without resulting in unjustified disclosure of the data subject's identity.
- Registration, Learning, and Academic Progress Data
Examples: Course/program enrollment information, learning progress, assessments, test results (if any), certificates, and educational interaction logs associated with the service.
Purpose: Providing educational services, managing enrollment and progress, issuing certificates, improving education quality and the learning experience, and compiling appropriate educational performance reports and indicators.
- Personal data shall only be collected or used for the specific purposes stated above, strictly to the extent required to achieve them and support NeLC's authorized operations.
- Any data sharing with other institutions (when required), the categories of such institutions, the reasons for sharing, and its controls, shall be clarified within relevant privacy notices.
- Data is retained in accordance with approved retention periods and is destroyed or anonymized once its purpose has been fulfilled, pursuant to applicable controls and procedures, and without prejudice to regulatory obligation.
Methods of Personal Data Collection
Personal information and data are collected from the user through the following methods:
- Direct Collection: This occurs when the user provides their data to NeLC by registering for and using NeLC's affiliated platforms, completing forms, requesting services, or communicating via phone calls or other approved channels.
- Indirect Collection (Technical): This occurs when users access NeLC's websites and services, during which usage data, browsing data, and technical logs required for operation, security, and service improvement may be collected, such as the IP address, browser type, session data, cookies, and their settings as outlined in the Cookie Policy.
- Collection from Other Institutions: NeLC may obtain data from other institutions when needed, such as educational providers, beneficiaries, operators of NeLC's services, or relevant government institutions. This is achieved in accordance with regulatory justifications, to the extent necessary to achieve specified purposes, in compliance with relevant laws and regulations, NeLC’s approved data sharing controls, and as required by NeLC's business interests.
Cookies
We use cookies to enhance the user experience on our website and to provide personalized services to users. The purposes for which we use cookies include enhancing the user experience, performance, and analysis, as well as ensuring website security and protecting user data. You may choose to accept or reject cookies through your browser settings; however, rejecting cookies may limit your ability to access all or some of the website’s services.
Purpose of Collecting and Using Personal Data
Your personal data is collected for the purpose of providing a secure and reliable educational service tailored to your needs, in addition to services requested by the beneficiary, including processing requests, providing technical support, and communicating with you regarding your inquiries. We may also need to collect and use personal data to comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
Retention and Destruction of Personal Data
NeLC securely stores your personal data within Saudi Arabia or through cloud computing services until the purpose of its processing has been fulfilled, using appropriate technical and security measures to prevent its leakage, loss, misuse, or unauthorized access.
Rights of the Personal Data Subject
Pursuant to the Personal Data Protection Law, you have the following rights, which depend primarily on the purpose of collecting and processing personal data:
- Right to be Informed: The right to be informed of the collection of your personal data, the purposes of its collection and processing, and the regulatory justification, including a statement of the categories of data collected, its sources, the institutions with which it may be shared (if any), its retention period, and your related rights. This is achieved through privacy notices and NeLC's approved channels, subject to relevant regulatory provisions.
- Right to Access: The right to access your personal data available at NeLC and to request a copy of it in a clear and readable format.
- Right to Rectification: The right to request the correction, completion, or updating of your personal data available at NeLC whenever it is inaccurate or incomplete.
- Right to Erasure or Destruction: The right to request the destruction of your personal data available at NeLC when the purpose of its collection or processing has been fulfilled.
- Right to Object: The right to object to the processing of your personal data in cases permitted by the Personal Data Protection Law and its Executive Regulations.
- Right to Restriction of Processing: The right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data in cases permitted by the Personal Data Protection Law and its Executive Regulations.
- Right to Data Portability: The right to request obtaining your personal data available at NeLC in a structured, machine-readable, and transferable format, in accordance with the provisions of the Personal Data Protection Law, its Executive Regulations, and applicable controls.
All rights are subject to the controls and procedures applied at NeLC. The request will be reviewed, the identity of the applicant will be verified, the appropriate procedure will be executed, and you will be notified of the result within the statutory timeframe, taking into account any regulatory restrictions or obligations that may apply to the data or prevent the full or partial execution of the right.
Data Sharing / Data Exchange
NeLC is committed to protecting your personal data and does not sell it or use it for purposes other than those specified. Personal data is neither shared nor exchanged except within a defined scope, to the minimum extent necessary, pursuant to a regulatory justification, and in compliance with relevant laws and regulations and NeLC’s approved data sharing controls.
Cases and Purposes of Sharing
Your personal data may be shared in the following cases, and to the extent required to achieve the purpose:
- Compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and instructions, or the execution of mandatory legal and regulatory obligations.
- Responding to a judicial order or official request from a competent authority according to the regulatory procedures.
- Achieving a public interest or performing regulatory tasks or powers of relevant government institutions.
- Providing and operating services through approved service providers (such as cloud hosting, technical support services, and communication/notification services), strictly within the limits of service delivery and pursuant to agreements that incorporate data protection and confidentiality obligations.
- Protecting the legal rights and interests of NeLC or beneficiaries, including investigating misuse, fraud, or cyberattacks.
Sharing Controls and Protection
When sharing personal data, NeLC applies governance and security controls to ensure data protection, including but not limited to:
- Defining and documenting the purpose of sharing, along with specifying the data type, duration, and beneficiary.
- Applying the principle of data minimization (the minimum required) and anonymization/encryption when needed.
- Utilizing secure transmission channels and applying access and permission controls.
- Concluding agreements/contractual clauses with institutions or service providers that incorporate data protection, confidentiality, and prohibition of use for unauthorized purposes.
- Documenting sharing operations within the personal data sharing log and reviewing them periodically to ensure sustained compliance.
Links to Other Websites
NeLC's website, along with its associated platforms and applications, may contain links leading to websites or online services belonging to other institutions (not managed by NeLC). When navigating to any of these websites or using their services, the privacy policies and terms of use of those respective institutions shall govern the collection, processing, and protection of your personal data.
NeLC strives, to the extent possible, to review and assess external links before making them available through its official channels; however, it does not exercise full control over the content of those websites or their data-related practices. Therefore, we advise reviewing the privacy policies of those institutions carefully before providing them with any personal data.
Controls for Handling External Links
- Some links may feature third-party services (such as content tools, communication tools, or surveys). In such cases, NeLC will—where feasible—clarify the purpose of using the link and the category of the institution providing the service.
- External links may open in a different window or domain to indicate that they reside outside NeLC's scope.
- NeLC assumes no responsibility for any data collection, processing, or protection practices of such institutions, except for matters falling within its regulatory and contractual responsibilities where a contractual relationship or operational integration exists with the external institution.
Disclaimer
NeLC is committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality, security, and privacy; nonetheless, the use of the website and services remains at the user's own risk. NeLC shall not be liable for any damages arising from the user's misuse of the website, violation of instructions, sharing of login credentials with third parties, or use of insecure devices/networks, whether direct or indirect, to the maximum extent permitted by relevant laws and regulations.
Relevant Laws and Regulations
- Personal Data Protection Law.
- Executive Regulations of the Personal Data Protection Law.
Contact Us
To exercise your rights, submit inquiries regarding your personal data or the general terms of this Privacy Policy, or report any suspected violation of your personal data rights, you may contact the Personal Data Protection Officer via email at: [email protected]
Request Handling Mechanism
- Receipt of the request is acknowledged, and the applicant is provided with a reference tracking number.
- NeLC may request identity verification or proof of legal authorization (such as guardianship or power of attorney) prior to executing requests, to preserve data confidentiality and prevent unauthorized access.
- Requests are processed and responded to in accordance with applicable controls, procedures, and statutory timeframes, with the applicant notified of any material updates concerning the request.
How to File a Complaint or Objection
If you have any concerns regarding the privacy of your personal data or non-compliance with the Personal Data Protection Law and its Executive Regulations, you may submit a complaint or objection to the Data Management Office at NeLC via the "Contact Us" form or approved channels, specifying the subject of the complaint and attaching any supporting information (if available), or via email at: [email protected]
Escalation to the Competent Authority
If you are not satisfied with the resolution of your complaint, or if there is no response within (30) business days, you may escalate the complaint to the competent authority: the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), through its officially approved channels.