The British Council invites you to join our Customer Research Group. By joining this group, you will receive invitations to participate in future research activities that will help us improve our products and services based on real user feedback.
How we use and store your information
This Customer Research Group is being managed by the British Council. We will use your first name for reference, but any insights generated from future research activities will not contain personally identifiable data and will remain anonymous.
We will securely store your personal data (such as email address and name) for the following purposes:
- Inviting you to participate: Where your details match the requirements of a future research study, you may receive an invitation to take part.
- Maintaining our records: To monitor who is in our Customer Research Group and track their participation history.
We will retain your information for a maximum of 4 years from the time it is collected, or until it is no longer required for the purposes stated above.
If you choose to participate in a research activity (e.g. interviews, focus groups, online surveys), the format of data we collect may change to reflect the nature of the study. This may include, for example, written notes, photographs and audio/video recordings. If taking part in online research (e.g. usability testing), we may also request to view and record the screen of your digital device. We will always inform you of the format of data we intend to collect before you agree to take part. Any data we do collect will be anonymised prior to analysis.
When we analyse our data, we may use a range of external AI tools. Anonymised research insights will only be shared with members of the British Council project team; however, this may extend to include external partners, agencies and/or contractors involved in a specific project. No information you provide will ever be made publicly available.
Your rights
The British Council complies with data protection laws in the UK and internationally accepted standards. You have the right to:
- Request a copy of the information we hold about you.
- Ask us to correct any inaccuracies in that information.
If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection authority.
For detailed information, please visit our privacy policy on our website: www.britishcouncil.org/privacy or contact us at customerresearchgroup@britishcouncil.org.
If you have any concerns or feel uncomfortable when taking part in a research activity, please contact us at customerresearchgroup@britishcouncil.org or inform the researcher. Participation in any research is voluntary, and you can choose not to take part in any invitation you receive. You can withdraw from the Customer Research Group at any time using the unsubscribe link on any invitation email we send. You can also request we delete your personal data at any time by contacting us at at customerresearchgroup@britishcouncil.org.
Providing your consent
By providing your consent, you confirm the following:
- I have been informed about the purpose of the Customer Research Group and understand that I will be invited to participate in future research activities.
- I agree to join the Customer Research Group and to receive future invitations to participate in research activities.
- I understand that participation in any specific research activity is voluntary, and that I can withdraw at any time.
- I understand that my data (such as my email address and name) will be used to communicate with me about future research opportunities.
- I am aware of how my information will be stored, used, and presented in internal documentation.
- I confirm that I will not share any information or material that I have access to through British Council research projects.
- I have read, understood, and agreed to the information above, and all my questions about joining the research panel have been answered.