Privacy Policy

Our website may be used without entering personal information. Different rules may apply to certain services on our site, however, and are explained separately below. We collect personal information from you (e.g. name, address, email address, telephone number, etc.) in accordance with the provisions of German General Data Protection Regulation (DSGVO) statutes. Information is considered personal if it can be associated exclusively to a specific natural person.
The legal framework for data protection may be found in the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG), the German General Data Protection Regulation (DSGVO) and the German Digital Services Act (DDG). The provisions below serve to provide information as to the manner, extent and purpose for collecting, using and processing personal information by the provider:

STIFTUNG MICHAEL [MICHAEL FOUNDATION]
Alsstrasse 12
D-53227 Bonn
Germany

Phone: +49 228 - 94 55 45 40
Fax:      +49 228 - 94 55 45 42
E-mail: post@stiftung-michael.de

Please be aware that data transfer via the internet is subject to security risks and, therefore, complete protection against third-party access to transferred data cannot be ensured.

Our website does not make use of so-called cookies in order to recognize repeat use of our website by the same user/internet connection subscriber. Cookies are small text files that your internet browser downloads and stores on your computer. They are used to improve our website and services. In most cases these are so-called "session cookies" that are deleted once you leave our website.
But our website makes use of so-called session cookies. It caches your data during your visit, for example if you fill out a contact form, order a publication, sign up for a seminar, apply for a scholarship or award or make an online donation. These session cookies are automatically deleted after the end of your visit or when you close your browser.
Some information about cookies: To an extent, however, these cookies also pass along information used to automatically recognize you. Recognition occurs through an IP address saved to the cookies. The information thereby obtained is used to improve our services and to expedite your access to the website. You can prevent cookies from being installed by adjusting the settings on your browser software accordingly. You should be aware, however, that by doing so you may not be able to make full use of all the functions of our website.

For technical reasons, data such as the following, which your internet browser transmits to us or to our web space provider (so called server log files), is collected:

• type and version of the browser you use
• operating system
• websites that linked you to our site (referrer URL)
• websites that you visit
• date and time of your visit
• your Internet Protocol (IP) addres.

This anonymous data is stored separately from any personal information you may have provided, thereby making it impossible to connect it to any particular person. The data is used for statistical purposes by our provider in order to create an access statistic for the website or to improve the service.

In order to process orders, downloads, registrations, applications or online donations on this website, we collect and use personal data. These data are used exclusively to process the order, the download, the registration, the application or the online donation. A transfer to third parties is excluded. If you do not permit us (as website operator) to use the data we require for your request, you can not use the corresponding function or request.
Personal information is all information that is used to identify your person and which can be traced back to you – e.g. your name, e-mail address and telephone number (see also the following section: order process, download, registration, application or online donation).

If you have registered for a practical seminar or applied for a scholarship or a prize, we will use your data to inform you personally about the tasks and activities of the Michael Foundation. You will be informed during the application or registration process whether your data will be used for the above-mentioned purpose. You have the right to object to the use of your data at any time.

This website uses the open source web analysis service Matomo.

With the help of Matomo we are able to collect and analyze data about the use of our website by website visitors. This enables us, among other things, find out when which page views were made and from which region they come. We also record various log files (e.g. IP address, referrer, browser and operating system used) and can measure whether our website visitors carry out certain actions (e.g. clicks, purchases, etc.).

The use of this analysis tool is based on Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analyzing user behavior in order to optimize both its website and its advertising. If a corresponding consent was requested, the processing takes place exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a DSGVO and § 25 Para B. device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TDDDG. Consent can be revoked at any time.

When analyzing with Matomo, we use IP anonymization. Your IP address is shortened before the analysis so that it can no longer be clearly assigned to you.

We have configured Matomo so that Matomo does not save any cookies in your browser.

We host Matomo exclusively on our own servers, so that all analysis data remain with us and are not passed on.

All data, which are entered by you during an order process, a download, a registration, an application or an online donation, will be saved. This includes:

• name, first name
• address
• possibly payment data (i.e. online donation)
• e-mail-address

Applications may require the transfer/upload of personal documents (such as CV, proof of age, work samples, etc.). These documents are handled by us with the utmost care and stored only for the purpose of processing the respective transaction. A transfer to third parties is excluded.
The data which is absolutely necessary for the completion of the corresponding process will be stored until the end of this process as well as for accounting purposes.
As the storage of your files or documents is no longer required or required by law, they will be deleted.

On our website we offer you the opportunity to contact us, either by email and/or by using a contact form. In such event, information provided by the user is stored for the purpose of facilitating communications with the user. No data is transferred to third parties. Nor is any of this information matched to any information that may be collected by other components of our website.

This site uses SSL encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of sensitive content you send to us as the site operator. You can recognize an encrypted connection at the address line of the browser which is changing from "http://" to "https://" and the lock symbol in your browser line.
If SSL encryption is enabled, the data you submit to us can not be read by third parties.

At any time you have the right to free information about your stored personal data, their origin and recipient and the purpose of the data processing and you have the right to correct, block or delete this data. For further information on personal data you can contact us at any time at the above given address.

The MICHAEL FOUNDATION maintains one (or more) presences on the social network Instagram in order to communicate with users registered there and to provide information about our foundation, its calls for tenders, award ceremonies, events, information offers and other services.
Instagram is an online service for sharing photos and videos (and other content) that belongs to the Meta Group, formerly Facebook. The MICHAEL FOUNDATION uses the technical platform and services of Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland for the information service offered here.
The MICHAEL FOUNDATION points out that users use the Instagram page and its functions at their own risk. This applies in particular to the use of interactive functions (e.g. commenting, rating).

When you visit this Instagram page, Facebook records your IP address and other information that is available on your PC in the form of cookies. This information is used to provide STIFTUNG MICHAEL, as the operator of the Instagram page(s), with anonymized statistical information about the use of the Instagram page.
The data collected about you in this context is processed by Facebook Ltd. and may be transferred to countries outside the European Union. Facebook describes what information Facebook receives and how it is used in its data usage guidelines. There you will also find information about how to contact Facebook and the options for setting up advertisements. The data usage guidelines are available at the following link: https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy. The complete data guidelines for the Instagram service can be found here: https://privacycenter.instagram.com.

Facebook provides information about the use of cookies in the cookie policy for the Instagram service: a href="https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policies/cookies/" class="tlink" target="_blank">https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policies/cookies/ We would like to point out that Facebook Ireland is able to track your user behavior (across devices for logged-in users) on other websites beyond the Instagram service using the cookies used. This applies to both those registered with the Instagram service and those not registered there.
According to Facebook, it stores data until it is no longer needed to provide the services and Facebook products or until the user's account is deleted, whichever comes first. This depends on the circumstances of the individual case, in particular the type of data, why it is collected and processed and the relevant legal or operational storage needs. Further information on data storage can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/center.