Privacy Policy
Last updated: 29 September 2026
GEARS (Groningen Engineering and Robotics Study association) is responsible for the personal data we process about our members and the people who contact us. This policy explains what we collect, why we collect it, and what rights you have. GEARS is registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under KVK 42017832, at Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen. For any privacy question, email board@gearsnl.org.
What we collect
- Membership details: first name, any infix, last name, gender, date of birth, email, phone number, address, student number, study programme, study phase, and expected graduation year.
- Payment details: your IBAN and, where you provide it, your BIC, used to collect the yearly membership fee by SEPA direct debit.
- Account details: when you sign in with Google, Microsoft, or SURFconext, we receive your name and email from that provider to create and secure your account.
- Communication: the messages you send us and your newsletter preference.
Why we use your data
- To run your membership and give you access to teams, events, and facilities. Legal basis: our membership agreement.
- To collect the membership fee. Legal basis: our membership agreement and your SEPA mandate.
- To send you the newsletter and association updates. Legal basis: your consent, which you can withdraw at any time.
- To keep the association running, improve our activities, and keep our systems secure. Legal basis: our legitimate interest.
- To meet legal and financial obligations, such as keeping accounting records. Legal basis: a legal obligation.
Who we share it with
We do not sell your data. We share it only with the service providers that help us run GEARS, and only as far as they need it: SURFconext, Google, and Microsoft for sign-in, our email provider for account and newsletter emails, and our hosting and infrastructure provider. While membership sign-up runs through Google Forms, your form answers are also processed by Google. These providers act on our behalf under agreements that require them to protect your data. We may also share data where the law requires it.
How long we keep it
We keep your membership data for as long as you are a member and for a reasonable period afterwards. Financial records are kept for seven years, as Dutch law requires. After these periods we delete or anonymise your data.
How we protect it
We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including access controls and secure sign-in. No system is perfectly secure, so if you notice a problem, please tell us.
Your rights
You can ask us to give you a copy of your data, correct it, delete it, restrict how we use it, or hand it over to another organisation. You can also object to certain uses and withdraw any consent you gave. To use any of these rights, email board@gearsnl.org. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Dutch Data Protection Authority, Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens.
Cookies
We use only the cookies needed to keep you signed in and to keep the site working. We do not use them to track you across other websites.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy. We will post the new version here and change the date above. For significant changes we will let members know.
Contact
GEARS, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen. Email board@gearsnl.org.