Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Virginia Institute of Finance and Management (“VIFM”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you access or use the VIFM Academy e-learning platform, including our website at learn.viftraining.com, mobile applications, and related services (collectively, the “Platform”).

By registering for an account or using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the practices described herein, please discontinue use of the Platform.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you register for an account, enroll in courses, make a payment, or contact us. This includes:

• Identity information: Full name, job title, and professional credentials
• Contact information: Email address, phone number, and mailing address
• Organisation details: Employer name, department, and corporate account information (where applicable)
• Payment information: Credit or debit card details and billing address, processed securely through our third-party payment providers
• Profile information: Profile photo, professional background, and learning preferences

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use the Platform, we automatically collect certain technical and usage data, including:

• Pages visited, courses accessed, and video watch progress
• Assessment and quiz responses and completion records
• Login timestamps, session duration, and navigation patterns
• Device type, operating system, browser type, and IP address
• Referring URLs and search terms used to reach the Platform

2.3 Information from Third Parties

Where you register or log in using a third-party service (such as LinkedIn or Google), we may receive basic profile information from that service in accordance with your privacy settings on that platform.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

We will not use your personal information for purposes incompatible with those described above without first obtaining your consent.

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share your data only in the following limited circumstances:

• Course Instructors: Instructors may access learner information limited to course enrolment status, progress, and assessment results, solely for the purpose of delivering and supporting the course.
• Corporate Administrators: If you are enrolled through an organisational account, your employer or designated administrator may have access to your enrolment status, course completion records, and CPE credits earned.
• Payment Processors: We share payment information with authorised third-party payment processors to complete transactions securely. These processors are bound by strict data protection obligations and are not permitted to use your information for any other purpose.
• Service Providers: We engage trusted third-party vendors to assist in operating the Platform, including cloud hosting, email delivery, analytics, and customer support. All service providers are contractually required to protect your data and process it only on our instructions.
• Legal and Regulatory Authorities: We may disclose your information where required to do so by law, court order, or regulatory authority, or where we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of VIFM, our users, or the public.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the successor entity, subject to the same privacy protections described in this Policy.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account remains active or as necessary to provide you with our services. We also retain data as required to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When your data is no longer required, we securely delete or anonymise it in accordance with our data retention schedule.

6. Data Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using TLS (Transport Layer Security)
• Encryption of sensitive data at rest
• Secure authentication mechanisms, including password hashing
• Role-based access controls limiting staff access to personal data
• Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing

While we take all reasonable precautions, no method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure. We encourage you to use a strong, unique password and to notify us immediately if you suspect any unauthorised access to your account.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate and improve the Platform. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us:

• Maintain your login session and authentication state
• Remember your language preferences and accessibility settings
• Analyse how learners navigate and use the Platform
• Measure the effectiveness of our communications

You may control or disable cookies through your browser settings; however, disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Platform. We do not use cookies to serve third-party advertising.

8. International Data Transfers

VIFM operates primarily in the GCC region. If your information is transferred to or processed in a country outside your jurisdiction, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

9. Children’s Privacy

The Platform is intended for professional use by individuals aged 18 and above. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18. If we become aware that a minor has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

10. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights with respect to your personal information:

• Right of access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to erasure: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention obligations
• Right to restriction: Request that we limit the processing of your data in certain circumstances
• Right to data portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing
• Right to object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests

To exercise any of these rights, please submit a request to us using the contact details below. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email or by posting a prominent notice on the Platform prior to the change taking effect. The “Last Updated” date at the top of this Policy indicates when it was most recently revised. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Virginia Institute of Finance and Management — Privacy & Data Protection
Email: clients@viftraining.com
Website: www.viftraining.com/contact

We are committed to addressing your concerns promptly and transparently.