Jisc is delighted to have been selected by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as one of the first ten projects to participate in the beta phase of its Sandbox. 

Jisc is developing a code of practice with universities and colleges wishing to investigate the use of student activity data to improve their provision of student support services, which will help them to protect both privacy and wellbeing.

Taking part in the ICO Sandbox will allow Jisc to draw on the ICO’s expertise and advice on data protection by design, ensuring that our code represents best practice.

The sandbox service was introduced to support organisations which are developing products and services that use personal data in innovative and safe ways.

The products and services taking part of this phase have been submitted by organisations from a broad range of sectors and sizes. All met the selection criteria of being genuinely innovative and viable, with the potential for delivering real benefit to the UK public.

Ensuring an ethical approach

Jisc already has a learning analytics code of practice, providing an ethical approach to using student data to improve learning. The sandbox activity aims to extend this idea to the area of student support and wellbeing.

Andrew Cormack, chief regulatory adviser at Jisc, said:

“We are looking forward to working with the ICO on our draft wellbeing analytics code of practice. Supporting student wellbeing raises complex ethical and legal issues. Discussing these in the sandbox will help Jisc provide the best possible guidance to universities and colleges who wish to develop the use of data within their support services.”

The next stage of the process will be for the ICO and participants to agree and develop detailed plans before work starts on testing products and services. It is envisaged all participants will have exited the sandbox by September 2020.