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Welcome to BOU!
At BOU, we offer more than just a qualification – we provide an experience designed for your success.
Data Protection & Privacy Overview
Botswana Open University is committed to protecting your personal information in full compliance with the Botswana Data Protection Act of 2024 and its amendments.
Our Commitment to Your Privacy
Botswana Open University (BOU) is a data controller registered under the Data Protection Act No. 18 of 2024, regulated by the Information and Data Protection Commission (IDPC). BOU collects and processes personal data lawfully, fairly and transparently solely for legitimate educational and institutional purposes.
A dedicated Data Protection Officer (DPO) has been appointed to oversee compliance, conduct Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), maintain the Record of Processing Activities (RoPA), and handle all data-related enquiries. Contact the DPO at dpo@bou.ac.bw.
Data Protection Principles
BOU processes personal data in accordance with the following core principles as set out in the Botswana Data Protection Act:
PRINCIPLE 01
Lawfulness & Fairness
Personal data is collected and processed only on lawful grounds, transparently and fairly, with clear justification for each processing activity.
PRINCIPLE 04
Accuracy
BOU takes reasonable steps to ensure that personal data is accurate, complete and kept up to date where necessary.
PRINCIPLE 02
Purpose Limitation
Data is collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner incompatible with those purposes.
PRINCIPLE 05
Storage Limitation
Personal data is not retained longer than is necessary for the purpose for which it was originally collected, subject to applicable legal retention obligations.
PRINCIPLE 03
Data Minimisation
We collect only personal data that is adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purpose for which it is processed.
PRINCIPLE 06
Security & Integrity
Appropriate technical and organisational measures are implemented to safeguard personal data against unauthorised access, loss, destruction or alteration.
Your Rights as a Data Subject
Under the Botswana Data Protection Act, you have the following rights with respect to your personal information held by BOU:
Right to be informed about how your data is collected and used
Right to rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data
Right to restriction of processing of your personal data
Right to object to the processing of your personal data
Right of access to your personal data held by BOU
Right to withdraw consent at any time without penalty
Right to erasure (the "right to be forgotten")
Right to data portability in a structured format
To exercise any of the above rights, please contact the BOU Data Protection Office using the contact details provided on this page. BOU will respond to all requests within 21 days as required by the Act.
Data Protection Documents
The following documents govern BOU's data protection and privacy practices under the Act:
01
Data Protection Policy
Our institutional policy setting out how BOU collects, processes, stores and safeguards all personal data in compliance with the Act.
02
Consent Form
Use this form to provide, manage or withdraw your consent for specific data processing activities carried out by BOU.
03
Student Privacy Notice
Explains specifically how BOU collects, uses and shares personal data relating to enrolled and prospective students.
04
General Privacy Notice
Covers data processing for all website visitors, job applicants, research participants, partners and the general public.
Regulatory Authority — Information & Data Protection Commission (IDPC): If you believe BOU has not handled your personal data appropriately, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information and Data Protection Commission (IDPC), the independent supervisory authority established under the Botswana Data Protection Act of 2024. The IDPC is responsible for enforcing data protection rights and can investigate complaints against data controllers. Visit www.idpc.org.bw for further information.