Oral online examinations

This supplementary declaration contains information on how and to what extent Clausthal University of Technology collects data in the context of oral online examinations and how this data is processed. An oral online examination is understood to be any format in which examination questions are asked in writing or verbally by an examiner in the presence of an observer via the BBB video conferencing service and answered by an individual examinee. The BBB system is operated independently by TU Clausthal at the Clausthal-Zellerfeld site. The data collected will only be processed and used within Clausthal University of Technology and will not be passed on to third parties.

Further contact persons

The respective examiner is responsible for the content and specific design of oral online examinations. Students will be informed of the contact details at the beginning of each course. The Clausthal University of Technology's video conferencing system BBB is operated by the Clausthal University of Technology Computer Center. If you have any technical questions, please contact support@rz.tu-clausthal.de.

Legal basis for the processing of personal data

The basis for the processing of personal data is basically § 17 para. 1 NHG. In addition, the General Examination Regulations (APO) of Clausthal University of Technology apply in their currently valid version.

Insofar as we have the consent of the data subject for the processing of personal data, Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) serves as the legal basis.

Insofar as the processing of personal data is necessary to fulfill a legal obligation to which Clausthal University of Technology is subject, Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c GDPR serves as the legal basis.

Under conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic, the conduct of oral online examinations is also based on a public interest in combination with the protection of vital interests of the persons concerned pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. d and e GDPR.

Personal data is processed by us for the purpose of administrative user management, for contacting and interacting with users and for providing personalized services, for carrying out studies as students or activities as employees at Clausthal University of Technology. The video conferencing system is used for oral online examinations. This includes verifying the identity of students, communicating and answering examination questions and ensuring that the examination runs smoothly. Recordings of video conference sessions are prevented on the server side for the BBB system at Clausthal University of Technology. The creation of sound and image recordings during online examinations is prohibited; this includes the creation of screen recordings (screenshots) or videos as well as the transmission (streaming) of video and audio data to external platforms.

Type and scope of data collected

The examinee joins the video conference via a room link provided by the examiner. The system automatically processes log file data (IP address, date, time and browser version at the time of access).

The temporary storage of this data by the system is necessary for the registration process in order to enable the delivery of requested documents to the user's computer. For this purpose, the user's IP address must remain stored for the duration of the session.

The examinee also enters their name as a participant in the video conference.

The BBB video conferencing service enables the transmission of audio, image and text data between a defined, limited group of participants. A participant must independently release their webcam or microphone for this purpose. Examiners inform students before the examination whether an identity check will be carried out via the BBB video conferencing service. The student will be asked to hold their ID up to the camera. The creation of biometric profiles or biometric identification is expressly not carried out. Examiners may request that the student's camera remains switched on at all times during the online examination to ensure that the examination is conducted properly. A request may be made to pan the camera around the room. Examiners may require participants to respond to chat messages in the BBB. It is permissible to request that the camera be panned and/or that specific objects be shown. The candidate must verbally confirm their ability to take the examination at the start of the examination. In the case of oral online examinations, there are only three people in the corresponding video conference room: the examiner, the assessor and the individual examinee. Statistical data such as the number of video conferences per calendar day or the number of participants per video conference session are processed anonymously and are used to optimize the video conference service. The data is not passed on to third parties.

Duration of data storage

The content of the video conference, such as audio, image and text data, is not processed after the end of the video conference and is deleted at the end of the session. The examiner and the assessor record the questions asked and the answers given by the examinee. The content of the BBB chat/shared content/uploaded presentations or documents can be documented by the examiners in the examination record. The examination record has a retention period of 5 years.

SSL encryption

The connection to the BBB video conferencing service is made using SSL encryption (https). Data encrypted via SSL cannot be read by third parties.

If your personal data is processed, you are a data subject within the meaning of the GDPR and you have the following rights in particular vis-à-vis the controller:

Right of access pursuant to Art. 15 GDPR

You can request confirmation from the controller as to whether personal data concerning you is being processed by Clausthal University of Technology.

Right to rectification pursuant to Art. 16 GDPR

You have a right to rectification and/or completion vis-à-vis the controller if the processed personal data concerning you is incorrect or incomplete. Please contact the controller immediately if you dispute the accuracy or incompleteness of your personal data.

Right to restriction of processing pursuant to Art. 18 GDPR

Under certain circumstances, you may request the restriction of the processing of personal data concerning you, e.g. if you contest the accuracy of the personal data concerning you for a period enabling the controller to verify the accuracy of the personal data or if the processing is unlawful and you oppose the erasure of the personal data and request the restriction of their use instead.

Right to data portability pursuant to Art. 20 GDPR

The right to data portability does not apply to the processing of personal data necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.

Automated decision-making in individual cases including profiling in accordance with Art. 22 GDPR

You have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which produces legal effects concerning you or similarly significantly affects you.

Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

Without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if you consider that the processing of personal data relating to you infringes the GDPR.