#DigiInventors Challenge - Privacy Notice for all applicants 

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The #DigiInventors Challenge is a Scottish-based competition that challenges young people to identify and research health and wellbeing challenges and develop ideas that could be transformed into potential digital solutions. 

 

The Challenge is delivered by the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (“DHI”), which is hosted by the University of Strathclyde, in partnership with: Scottish Women’s Football, Education Scotland, SSERC, Skills Development Scotland, Developing Young Workforce, Young Enterprise Scotland, SmartSTEMs, NHS Education for Scotland, dressCode, City of Glasgow College, School of Innovation and Technology at the Glasgow School of Art, University of Strathclyde Inspire, Heriot Watt University Dubai, University of Strathclyde Business School Dubai and Dubai Health Authority. 

   

The Challenge is currently delivered across Scotland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and provides teaching materials to support young people to use classroom learning to solve real-world health and wellbeing challenges. 

 

Four finalist Scottish teams will be invited to meet with the DHI at their offices in Glasgow. At the same time, four finalist UAE teams will be invited to meet representatives of the Heriot-Watt University Dubai in the UAE. The eight teams will participate in a virtual “hybrid” bootcamp on 17 & 18 November 2025 (using Microsoft Teams).  

 

The eight teams will then participate in a virtual “hybrid” final on 8 December 2025 (using Microsoft Teams). The four finalist Scottish teams will meet with DHI at their office in Glasgow. At the same time, four finalist UAE teams will meet with representatives of the Heriot-Watt University Dubai in the UAE. A Scottish winner and a UAE winner will then be selected and announced on 10 December 2025. An award ceremony will then take place in each respective country in February 2026. 

 

As part of the above award ceremonies, each of the respective winning teams may be required to present in person in Scotland or the UAE. 

 

The University of Strathclyde will be responsible for processing your personal data as a participant in the Challenge and will provide you with relevant information about how your personal data will be used (see details below). 

 

 

Privacy Notice 

The University of Strathclyde is a data controller under data protection legislation. This privacy notice sets out important information regarding how we will use your information and your rights under the legislation. It is important that you read this notice prior to providing your information. 

 

For applicants based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Heriot-Watt University Dubai (HWUD) will act as a data processor  for the personal data collected by the DHI and used locally. HWUD is responsible for ensuring compliance with the UAE Federal Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (PDPL). Where personal data is shared between UAE-based and UK-based entities, appropriate safeguards will be implemented to ensure lawful cross-border data transfer. 

 

The DHI is running the #DigiInventors Challenge 2025 competition in which teams of up to six (6) young people (attending secondary school as of 2 January 2025) propose how digital technology and/or e-gaming could be used to re-invent the game of field hockey to inspire increased physical activity, participation, and well-being of our young people. Teams can earn extra points if their idea has a positive impact on our environment and supports efforts to reach net carbon zero.  

 

Each team must nominate a school or youth organisation that they represent and a responsible adult (over the age of 21) who will act as the team’s mentor during the competition. 

 

As part of the online application process certain personal data belonging to the mentor and team 

members will be collected by the DHI. 

 

The data that will be collected is: 

• School/ group name and registered address 

• Council areas (Scotland) or constituent emirate (UAE) 

• Team name 

• Mentor’s name 

• Mentor’s contact information (email address ) 

• Each team member’s gender and school stage 

• Pupil names (for finalists only) 

 

If a team is shortlisted as a finalist during the #DigiInventors Challenge 2025 and attends the hybrid bootcamp, the hybrid final and is showcased in the award ceremony, then the DHI may use the information above and/ or capture photographs, video or audio of the mentors and team members as outlined below. DHI will capture student names and parental permission to share this data and content. This information may also be shared in official press releases distributed by the DHI via our PR agency, Hot Tin Roof, to a variety of media outlets for publicity purposes.  

 

 

How we use your personal data and who we may share it with 

We will use the personal data you supply in the online application process to: 

• ensure that you meet the criteria for applying to the #DigiInventors Challenge 2025; 

• assess your application to the #DigiInventors Challenge 2025; and 

• judge your application which will be done by employees of the DHI and other #DigiInventors Challenge partners. 

 

If you are a member of a team which is shortlisted during the #DigiInventors Challenge 2025, a mentor, sponsor, partner, masterclass presenter, expert or judge, the DHI’s internal marketing team, may capture photographs, video or audio footage of you for the following purposes: 

1. to promote the #DigiInventors Challenge by the DHI for the current and future challenges. 

2. Such promotion may include use in the DHI’s advertising and resources in relation to the #DigiInventors Challenge including but not limited to the #DigiInventors Challenge website (www.digiinventors.com/), social media, advertising, press, film and video, radio and publications; 

3. to allow Challenge partners to judge the competition entries presented by participants at the #DigiInventors Challenge bootcamp; 

4. to create videos for the winners’ presentation at a pre-determined formal award ceremony (yet to be confirmed) and to be made available via the DHI website; and 

5. for use on #DigiInventors Challenge partner and sponsor organisation websites and resources for the purposes of promoting and advertising the #DigiInventors Challenge and the support provided by these partner organisations.  

 

Such partners may include but are not limited to Scottish Women’s Football, Education Scotland, SSERC, Skills Development Scotland, Developing Young Workforce, Young Enterprise Scotland, SmartSTEMs, NHS Education for Scotland, dressCode, City of Glasgow College, School of Innovation and Technology at the Glasgow School of Art, University of Strathclyde Inspire, Heriot Watt University Dubai, University of Strathclyde Business School Dubai and Dubai Health Authority. 

 

For UAE-based participants, any collection, use, or sharing of your personal data (including photographs, videos, or audio recordings) will comply with the UAE PDPL. Where media content is involved, explicit, written parental consent will be obtained for any participant under the age of 18. Consent will be collected via a separate, clear media release form, outlining the intended use, platforms, and duration. Parents or legal guardians will have the right to refuse without prejudice, and participants will not be filmed or photographed in such cases. 

 

Where personal data (including media content) is transferred to or accessed by entities outside the UAE (including the UK), this will be done in accordance with Articles 22–24 of the PDPL. This may include reliance on data transfer agreements, appropriate organisational safeguards, or obtaining specific parental consent for international sharing. 

 

Legal basis for processing 

Under UK data protection legislation, we are required to identify our legal basis for processing. For the online application process the legal basis for processing is the legitimate interests of The University of Strathclyde as data controller to enable the DHI to receive, assess and judge applications to the #DigiInventors Challenge 2025. 

 

For the use of photographs, video or audio footage of you that may be captured during your participation in the #DigiInventors Challenge 2025, we will seek consent directly from you (if over 16) or a parent/guardian (if under 16). 

 

Under UAE law, the legal bases for processing personal data include obtaining clear consent from the data subject (or their parent/guardian if under 18), the necessity of processing for the performance of a contract, and compliance with legal obligations. Where consent is required (e.g. for media use), it will be obtained in advance and may be withdrawn at any time. 

 

Retention Period 

We will retain your details relating to: 

• the application process for a period of five (5) years following the end of the application process at which point they will be deleted from the University’s files; and 

• any photographs, video or audio footage of you which is captured or held by the University of Strathclyde will generally be held for a period of five (5) years from the #DigiInventors Challenge boot camp.  

 

There may be exceptions where some of them are retained and used for a longer period of time. 

 

For UAE participants, any retention of personal data will follow UAE PDPL requirements and local partner policies. You may request deletion or restriction of your personal data at any time in accordance with your rights under UAE law. 

 

Your Rights* 

You have the right to: 

• find out what personal data we process about you and obtain a copy of the data, free of charge; 

• ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data; 

• withdraw consent to process your personal data at any time, if you were asked for and 

provided consent (and where no other lawful basis for processing applies); and 

• restrict the processing of your personal data in certain ways; 

• object to the way we are using your data;  

• request that we erase your information; 

• obtain a portable copy of personal data you have given to us in a commonly used electronic format. 

 

*Please note: the applicability of these rights depends on the legal basis for processing and may not apply in all circumstances.  

To exercise any of these rights please contact dataprotection@strath.ac.uk.  

 

These rights apply under both UK GDPR and UAE PDPL. If you are a UAE-based participant or parent/guardian, you may exercise your rights under the PDPL by contacting Heriot-Watt University at infogov@hw.ac.uk. 

 

 

Right to Complain 

If you have any concerns/ issues with the way the University has processed your personal data you 

can contact the Data Protection Officer at dataprotection@strath.ac.uk.  You also have the right to 

lodge a complaint against the University regarding data protection issues with the Information 

Commissioner’s Office (https://ico.org.uk/concerns/). 

 

UAE-based participants may raise concerns with Heriot-Watt University’s Data Protection Officer infogov@hw.ac.uk, or contact the UAE Data Office via its website once fully operational. 

 

This privacy notice applies to all participants of the DigiInventors Challenge 2025 and should be read in conjunction with any additional guidance provided by local partner organisations.