Data Protection Notice for Participants in DFG Review Board Elections
We, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation), take the protection of your personal data and its confidential treatment extremely seriously. Therefore, we wish to inform you about the processing of your personal data in connection with the DFG review board elections and the rights to which you are entitled. The processing of your personal data takes place exclusively within the framework of the applicable statutory provisions of data protection laws, in particular the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG).
I. Who is responsible for the data processing and who is the data protection officer?
1. The controller for the processing of your personal data is:
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft e. V. (DFG)
Kennedyallee 40
53175 Bonn
Germany
Tel. +49 228 885-1
(externer Link)
(interner Link)
2. You can contact our data protection officer as follows:
Dr. Philip Lüghausen
BHO Consulting GmbH
Vorgebirgstraße 132
50969 Köln
Germany
Tel. +49 (0) 221 204 63 884
(externer Link)
(externer Link)
Note on autonomous data processing by the voting centres
Please note that the following data protection notice relates exclusively to data processing for which the DFG is responsible. For the proper conduct of the review board elections under the Election Regulations, DFG members, with the exception of the scientific member associations (the Society of German Natural Scientists and Physicians (GDNÄ), the Deutscher Verband Technisch Wissenschaftlicher Vereine (German Association of Technical and Scientific Associations) and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigung Otto von Guericke (German Federation of Industrial Research Associations)), as well as other institutions approved by the DFG upon application, establish voting centres that process participants’ personal data under their own responsibility (§ 8 (1) of the (interner Link) (WahlO)). This applies in particular to the following processing activities:
- determining the number of eligible researchers
- compiling a list of the names and status of eligible voters at the respective institution
- distributing voting materials to eligible researchers
- preparing an election report
If you have questions concerning data processing by a voting centre, please contact the respective voting centre directly. The contact details of the voting centre responsible for you during the previous election (2023) can be found in the (Download). Once the voting centres for the 2027 election have been established, the list will be updated (expected in autumn 2026).
If, as an individual voter, you fall under the responsibility of the voting centre at the DFG Head Office, please contact the office specified under I, 1 if you have any questions regarding data protection.
II. What is the subject matter of data protection?
The subject matter of data protection is personal data. This is all information which relates to an identified or identifiable natural person (so-called data subject). This includes information such as name, postal address, e-mail address and telephone number.
III. Which items of my personal data are processed?
When preparing and conducting the DFG review board elections, we process only such personal data relating to you as is relevant to the election process and is required for the proper conduct of the election.
Information on data protection in connection with the use of the online voting system
When conducting the DFG review board election, we use an online voting system provided by an external service provider acting as a processor. The applicable data protection notice is made readily available within the online voting system once the latter has been activated and can be accessed there.
Apart from this, your data is processed to the extent described below
For ease of reference, the information is presented according to your respective role in the review board election.
1. Voters, including those granted voting rights on an individual basis
Categories of data
- Vote number
- Name and work contact details (address, e-mail address, telephone number)
- Details of academic title
- Information on the institution at which you are engaged in research
- For individual voters: Information relating to the personal requirements for active voting rights under § 2 (2) of the Election Regulations for the Election of the Members of the Review Boards of the DFG
Purpose of processing and legal basis
If you participate in the DFG review board elections as a voter, we process your personal data for the following purposes:
- Participation in the election via the online voting system
- election monitoring and election audits
- preparation of the election report
In the case of individual voters, data is also processed for the following purposes:
- verification and granting of active voting rights on an individual basis
- distribution of voting materials
- preparation of the register of individual voters
Processing for the purposes of consultation and communication (where required), verification and granting of active voting rights on an individual basis, distribution of voting materials and preparation of the register of individual voters is based on Article 6 (1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests). Our legitimate interests consist in pursuing the above purposes and arise from the requirements for the proper and efficient conduct of the review board elections under the DFG Statutes and the Election Regulations for the Election of Members of the Review Boards of the DFG.
Data processing for the purpose of participation in the election via the online voting system, election monitoring/election verifications and preparation of the election report is based on Article 6 (1)(b) GDPR (processing of data for the performance of a contract or in order to take steps prior to entering into a contract), in conjunction with §§ 4 (1)(h) and §15 of the DFG Statutes and the Election Regulations for the Election of Members of the Review Boards of the DFG, as amended from time to time. This processing serves the proper conduct of the review board election. If you exercise your voting rights, processing of your data is necessary for the proper and efficient conduct of the review board election under the DFG Statutes and the Election Regulations.
Duration of storage
We erase the data when it is no longer required for the purposes pursued by us and no other legal basis applies.
2. Persons nominated for candidacy and candidates
Categories of data
- Name and work contact details (address, e-mail address, where applicable telephone number, encrypted password)
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Details of academic title
- Information on the institution at which you are engaged in research
- Information demonstrating eligibility for election under § 4 of the Election Regulations for the Election of Members of the Review Boards of the DFG
- Information on committee memberships and offices held within the DFG
- Information on the subject area in which you wish to stand for election
- Information on which institutions nominated you and in which subject areas
Purpose of processing and legal basis
Once you have been nominated for a candidacy, we process your personal data for the following purposes:
- organisation and conduct of the review board election
- verification of the formal requirements for candidacy and determination of inclusion on the list of candidates in accordance with the procedure provided for in the Election Regulations
- statistical purposes
- (in the event of a candidacy and, where applicable, election) publication of candidate data in the list of candidates and election results list on the DFG website
- notification of election results
Processing of personal data relating to persons nominated for candidacy is based on Article 6 (1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests). Our legitimate interests consist in pursuing the above purposes and arise from the requirements for the proper and efficient conduct of the review board elections under the DFG Statutes and the Election Regulations for the Election of Members of the Review Boards of the DFG.
Once an organisation entitled to nominate candidates wishes to nominate you through the “eNominierung” nomination portal, you will be invited to register on the platform and provide the information required for the nomination process. Your data is processed in particular for the purpose of conducting and reviewing the nomination and candidate selection process.
The decision as to whether a nominated person ultimately becomes a candidate is made in accordance with the procedure set out in § 7 of the Election Regulations for the Election of Members of the Review Boards of the DFG.
Following registration on the eNominierung platform, processing of the personal data of nominated persons is based on Article 6 (1)(b) GDPR (processing of data for the performance of a contract or in order to take steps prior to entering into a contract). Processing of your personal data is necessary to enable your participation in the nomination and selection process and conduct this process.
We erase the data once it is no longer required for the purposes pursued by us in preparing for and conducting the DFG review board election and no other legal basis applies, in particular any statutory or contractual retention periods.
3. Persons responsible for a voting centre
Categories of data
- Name and work contact details (address, e-mail address, telephone number)
- Position
- Information on the institution at which you are engaged in research
Purpose of processing and legal basis
If you participate in the election process as a person responsible for a voting centre, we process your personal data for the preparation and conduct of the DFG review board election. The purposes include, in particular:
communication with you
publication of your data on the DFG website to enable third parties to contact you, in particular potential eligible voters and other persons responsible for voting centres
The processing of data for communication purposes is based on Article 6(1)(b) GDPR (processing necessary for the performance of a contract or in order to take steps prior to entering into a contract), in conjunction with § 4 (1)(h) and § 15 of the DFG Statutes and the Election Regulations for the election of members of the review boards of the DFG, as amended from time to time (for DFG member organisations), and, where applicable, in conjunction with the agreement on the establishment of a voting centre (for non-member organisations of the DFG), for the preparation and conduct of the election in accordance with the DFG Statutes and the applicable Election Regulations. The processing of your data required for the purposes described above is based on the statutory and/or contractual rights and obligations existing between the DFG and your employer. In order to fulfil these obligations, your employer has entrusted you, within the framework of your existing contractual or employment relationship, with carrying out the duties arising from the Statutes and the Election Regulations.
The processing of data for the purpose of publication on the DFG website is based on Article 6 (1)(b) GDPR (processing necessary for the performance of a contract or in order to take steps prior to entering into a contract). It is necessary in order to ensure the proper fulfilment of the duties arising from your contractual relationship with the voting centre in connection with the review board election.
The publication of your data on the DFG website serves in particular to provide eligible voters with easy access to information about the responsible contact persons at their voting centre and to facilitate networking among persons responsible for voting centres. This is necessary to ensure the proper and smooth conduct of the review board election in accordance with the DFG Statutes and the Election Regulations.
The information will be published on the DFG website until the voting centres for the subsequent election have been established.
Duration of storage
We erase the data once it is no longer required for the purposes pursued by us in preparing for and conducting the DFG review board election and no other legal basis applies, in particular any statutory or contractual retention periods.
4. Persons submitting candidate nominations on behalf of a research institution entitled to make nominations (via the “eNominierung” platform)
Categories of data
- Name and work contact details (e-mail address and password in encrypted form)
- Information on the institution on whose behalf you submit candidate nominations
- Status of your individual authorisation to submit candidate nominations on behalf of an institution
- Allocation of submitted nominations to the respective institution and to the person acting on behalf of that institution
Purpose of processing and legal basis
DFG members and Stifterverband are entitled to nominate candidates directly, without having to undergo a separate application procedure. In addition, numerous scholarly societies and faculty associations may submit nominations if they have applied to the DFG for this right and it has subsequently been granted to them by the DFG Senate for specific subject areas. Candidate nominations for the 2027 review board election may only be submitted via the DFG’s “eNominierung” platform. We process your personal data for the preparation and conduct of the DFG review board election. The purposes include, in particular:
verifying your authorisation to access the “eNominierung” platform
exercising your nomination rights in relation to (potential) candidates, including the communication required for this purpose
For persons submitting candidate nominations on behalf of institutions entitled to nominate candidates, data processing is based on Article 6 (1)(b) GDPR (processing necessary for the performance of a contract or in order to take steps prior to entering into a contract), in conjunction with § 4 (1)(h) and § 15 of the DFG Statutes and the Election Regulations for the Election of Members of the Review Boards of the DFG, as amended from time to time, for the preparation and conduct of the election in accordance with the DFG Statutes and the applicable Election Regulations. The processing of your data required for the purposes described above is based on the statutory and/or contractual rights and obligations existing between the DFG and your employer. In order to fulfil these obligations, your employer has entrusted you, within the framework of your existing employment relationship, with carrying out the duties arising from the Statutes and the Election Regulations.
Duration of storage
We erase the data once it is no longer required for the purposes we pursue and no other legal basis applies.
5. Senior representatives and staff of legal entities (e.g. research institutions, scholarly societies and faculty associations), as well as members of unincorporated associations
If you fall within one of the categories listed in the heading above and are contacted by us in connection with the election, or if you contact us, we process your data as follows:
Categories of data
Name and work contact details (address, e-mail address, telephone number)
Information relating to the legal entity for which you work or the association of which you are a member
Position
Purpose of processing and legal basis
If you fall within one of the categories listed in the heading above and are contacted by us in connection with the election, or if you contact us, we process your personal data for the following purposes:
communication and coordination relating to the establishment of a voting centre and the designation of a person responsible for that voting centre
exercising your nomination rights in relation to (potential) candidates and the communication required for this purpose
participation in the process of reviewing the subject area structure
other correspondence in connection with the election
The processing of data is generally based on Article 6 (1)(b) GDPR (processing necessary for the performance of a contract or in order to take steps prior to entering into a contract), in conjunction with § 4 (1)(h) and § 15 of the DFG Statutes and the Election Regulations for the Election of Members of the Review Boards of the DFG, as amended from time to time (for DFG member organisations), and, where applicable, in conjunction with the agreement on the establishment of a voting centre (for non-member organisations of the DFG), for the preparation and conduct of the election in accordance with the DFG Statutes and the applicable Election Regulations. The processing of your data required for the purposes described above is based on the statutory and/or contractual rights and obligations existing between the DFG and your employer. In order to fulfil these obligations, your employer has entrusted you, within the framework of your existing employment relationship, with carrying out the duties arising from the Statutes and the Election Regulations.
Where, by way of an exception, data processing cannot be based on Article 6 (1)(b) GDPR (processing necessary for the performance of a contract or in order to take steps prior to entering into a contract), it is carried out based on Article 6 (1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests). Our legitimate interests consist in pursuing the above purposes and arise from the requirements for the proper and efficient conduct of the review board elections under the DFG Statutes and the Election Regulations for the Election of Members of the Review Boards of the DFG.
Duration of storage
We erase the data once it is no longer required for the purposes we pursue and no other legal basis applies.
6. Further processing activities
In addition to the processing activities described above, we process your personal data in the context of preparing and conducting the DFG review board elections as follows:
a) General enquiries regarding the DFG review board election
If you contact us with enquiries regarding the DFG review board election, we process the data you provide (e.g. your name, work contact details and the content of your enquiry) for the purpose of communicating with you. The data processing takes place based on Article 6 (1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests). Our legitimate interests consist in pursuing the above purposes and arise from the requirements for the proper and efficient conduct of the review board elections under the DFG Statutes and the Election Regulations for the Election of Members of the Review Boards of the DFG.
Duration of storage
We erase the data once it is no longer required for the purposes we pursue and no other legal basis applies.
b) Fulfilment of legal obligations
Under certain circumstances, we will also process your personal data in order to comply with legal obligations, for example under commercial, tax, finance or criminal law. The purposes of the processing arise from the respective legal obligation. As a rule, the processing is carried out in order to comply with statutory monitoring and disclosure obligations.
Data processing takes place in accordance with Article 6 (1)(c) GDPR.
Duration of storage
We erase the data once the legal obligation no longer applies, providing no other legal basis applies, in particular statutory or contractual retention obligations.
c) Statistical documentation
The DFG carries out statistical analyses of the review board elections in order to evaluate developments relating in particular to voting eligibility and voter participation, subject area structure, nomination rights, persons nominated for candidacy, candidates, elected members and the participation of universities of applied sciences (HAW), including their researchers (e.g. by success rates, gender, average age, etc.). These statistical analyses are used exclusively for internal purposes within the DFG and may, to a limited extent, also contain personal data relating to nominees, candidates and elected members (e.g. name and academic subject area). Otherwise, the statistics are anonymised. The data is processed on the basis of Article 6 (1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests). Our legitimate interests arise from the processing purpose described above. The processing of the data is necessary in order to record and evaluate developments in the composition of DFG review boards and, where necessary, to make the required adjustments.
Duration of storage
We erase the data once it is no longer required for the purposes we pursue and no other legal basis applies.
IV. Will my personal data also be collected from third parties?
We primarily process the personal data that we receive directly from you in the course of preparing and conducting the DFG review board election. In a few cases, we also obtain your personal data from third parties, for example:
from the voting centre / institution at which you are engaged in research
from institutions that have nominated you or wish to nominate you as a candidate or for the granting of active individual voting rights
from publicly accessible sources
Where necessary, we will provide you with more detailed information on this separately.
V. Does automated decision-making or profiling take place?
We do not use automated decision-making or profiling in accordance with Article 22 GDPR.
VI. Am I required to provide my personal data?
You are generally not required to provide us with personal data. This applies in particular to candidates and persons proposed for candidacy, as they themselves decide whether to give their consent to stand as a candidate or to be proposed for candidacy. However, the provision of personal data may be necessary for the preparation and conduct of the DFG review board elections due to contractual and/or statutory requirements imposed by the academic institutions or scholarly societies at which you work or whose leadership you have been entrusted with (for example, for the preparation of a register of voters or the designation of persons responsible for voting centres).
VII. Who has access to my personal data and which recipients obtain it?
Within the DFG Head Office, only those employees and committee members who require access to your personal data in order to perform their functions or duties will have access to it. This includes, in particular, the review board election team and all organisational units within the DFG that are involved in preparing review board elections and providing documents to the DFG statutory bodies responsible.
We only pass your personal data on to external recipients if a legal basis exists for this or if you have given your consent to such. External recipients may be:
- Processors: Service providers whom we engage to process personal data in connection with the DFG review board election, whom we use to provide human resources services, or who are responsible for maintaining our IT systems. These processors are carefully selected and regularly audited by us to ensure that your personal data is handled appropriately and securely. The service providers may only process your personal data for the purposes stated by us.
- Public bodies: Public authorities and government institutions, such as public prosecutors' offices, courts and tax authorities, to which we may be required to disclose personal data in individual cases.
- Publication of the business contact details of those responsible for voting centres on the DFG website: As a result of publication on the DFG website, your data will be accessible worldwide from the time of publication onwards. Consequently, further use of the data by third parties cannot be ruled out.
VIII. Will my personal data be transferred to third countries?
Your personal data will not be transferred to third countries in connection with the preparation and conduct of the DFG review board election.
IX. For how long will my data be stored?
Please refer to the relevant section on data processing under IV for information on the storage period applicable to your personal data.
X. What are my rights as a data subject?
You are entitled to the following rights in connection with the processing of your personal data:
1. Right of access
You have the right to receive confirmation from us as to whether we process personal data relating to you or not. Should this be the case, you have the right to receive information concerning your personal data and to receive further details concerning the processing.
2. Right to rectification
You have the right to request the rectification of incorrect personal data relating to you and to have incomplete personal data completed.
3. Right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”)
Under certain circumstances, you have the right to request that we erase your personal data. For example, this right exists if the personal data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or otherwise processed or if the personal data was processed unlawfully.
4. Restriction of processing
Under certain circumstances, you have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted. In such a case, we will only store such personal data in relation to which you have given your consent or processing is permitted by the GDPR. For example, you may have a right to restrict processing if you have disputed the correctness of your personal data.
5. Data portability
Should you have provided us with personal data under a contract or with your consent, then provided that the statutory requirements are met, you can request to receive the data which you have provided in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format or request that we transfer this data to another controller.
6. Withdrawal of consent
Should you have given us your consent to the processing of your personal data, you can withdraw this at any time with effect for the future. The lawfulness of the processing of your personal data prior to the withdrawal remains unaffected by this.
7. Objection against processing on the basis of a “legitimate interest”
You have the right to object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to processing of personal data concerning you which is based on Article 6 (1)(f) GDPR (data processing in accordance with a balancing of interests). Should you raise an objection, we will no longer process your personal data, unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which outweigh your interests, rights and freedoms or the processing is for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
8. Right to complain to the supervisory authority
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the responsible supervisory authority, should you consider that the processing of your data breaches applicable laws. For this purpose, you can contact the data protection authority which is responsible for your place of residence, place of employment or the location of the alleged breach or the data protection authority which has jurisdiction over us. The supervisory authority of the German Federal State in which you reside or work or where an alleged breach which forms the subject of the complaint has taken place holds jurisdiction.
XI. Who can I contact if I have any questions or wish to assert my rights as a data subject?
If you have any questions about the processing of your personal data or wish to exercise any of the data subject rights set out under XI, 1–7, you may contact us free of charge. Please use the contact details under I, 1. To withdraw your consent, you can also use the contact channel which you selected when submitting the declaration of consent.