Aarhus University launches campaign for responsible personal data handling after Data Protection Agency criticism

Aarhus University is launching an internal campaign to ensure that its researchers handle personal data responsibly. This initiative follows criticism from the Data Protection Agency, which highlighted violations of data protection regulations in several research projects involving sensitive information, such as health data, cancer diagnoses, and biological samples.

“We take the Data Protection Agency’s criticism of these specific projects very seriously,” said Vice Director Jakob Rathlev. “A significant portion of our research relies on the use of personal data, including sensitive information. We view this as a serious responsibility.”

The Data Protection Agency issued stern criticism for instances where the university shared personal data without obtaining the necessary permissions, as mandated by law. Additionally, there were concerns about insufficient oversight when allowing other institutions to handle sensitive information.

According to Rathlev, Aarhus University has continuously focused on guiding and training researchers in the responsible handling of personal data. “This fall, we will follow up with an internal awareness campaign aimed at researchers, based on the Data Protection Agency’s findings. It is crucial for us that the public can trust that we meet societal demands and expectations,” he stated.

The Data Protection Agency’s oversight covered a total of eight research projects at Aarhus University. The agency’s decisions indicated that the university had altered its explanations multiple times throughout the inquiries regarding the rules it had adhered to. The university also identified errors in its database of research projects, which needed correction.