Privacy and Cookies Policy

HIAS Symposium 2026 Aims and Ambition

The Hellenic Institute of Advanced Studies (HIAS) aims to build scientific bridges between scientists of the Greek diaspora and colleagues in Greece in STEM-related fields.

The HIAS Symposium 2026 (hereafter referred to as the “Symposium”) will explore themes and actions for creating and strengthening these bridges. We welcome your active participation and input in helping further develop HIAS initiatives and plans.

Data Controller and Users

The Symposium is organized by an Organizing Committee (hereafter referred to as the “Controller”), which serves as the data controller for the Symposium website and registration process.

The term “Users” refers to any visitor to the website and/or participant in the Symposium.

The term “Services” refers to the Symposium and related activities, including the registration process and communication with Users.

Purpose and Legal Basis

The Symposium processes personal data solely for purposes related to its aims, activities, and Services, including:

• Registering participants for the Symposium.
• Enabling communication and interaction between Users and the Controller.
• Informing participants about related events and activities.
• Improving user experience on the website.
• Authenticating, securing, and collecting statistics on remote connections.

Personal data are collected on the basis of prior informed consent and, where applicable, on the basis of legitimate interest, such as ensuring the security of online services.

Data Minimization

The Controller avoids collecting unnecessary personal data and follows the principles of “data protection by design” and “data minimization” in its processing and retention practices.

How Data Can Be Collected

The Controller may receive information and personal data through the website, email communications, and other means of interaction, including:

• Information that Users provide about themselves.
• Information collected automatically and shared by Users’ devices for connectivity purposes, such as IP addresses. Such data may be logged for security reasons.
• The Controller makes every effort to limit and avoid the use of cookie technology, except where required for technical or security reasons. More information on cookies can be found below under the “Cookie Policy”.

Policy Towards Children

In principle, our Services are not directed to persons under 16 years of age. Any participant in a Controller event who is under the age of 16 must have parental consent before sharing any personal data with us. Anyone who becomes aware that a person under 16 has provided us with personal data without parental consent should contact us.

Data Retention Period

Data retention periods are kept to a minimum, and data that are no longer necessary are deleted. Retention periods are determined by taking into account legal, security, management, and other legitimate service requirements.

Recipients, Sharing, and Transfer of Information

Personal data are processed with care, and strict rules are applied to avoid unnecessary transfers to third parties or to geographic locations that may expose the data to risk. We may share personal data in the following cases:

• With data processors and partners supporting our Services and activities, such as on-site registration, data storage infrastructure, and access control for events and activities. A list of data processors is available upon request to the Controller.
• When required by law or for legitimate purposes, such as protecting the legal rights and safety of the Controller, its partners, and the users of its Services.
• For reporting purposes. We usually use aggregated and anonymized data when reporting on participants in our events. However, the names and affiliations of participants attending the Symposium as keynote speakers, chairs, moderators, speakers, or officials may appear in public reports, press releases, and other informational materials.

Security

We use physical, technical, and administrative measures to safeguard information in our possession against loss, theft, unauthorized use, disclosure, or modification. Please note, however, that no method of data transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. While we strive to protect the information we maintain, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us. If you identify any weakness in our security, please inform us.

Data Subject Rights

Users have rights regarding their personal data. You may contact the data protection officer of the Controller to exercise your rights as a data subject, including the right to access, rectify, or erase your personal data; the right to withdraw consent; the right to restrict or object to the processing of your personal data; and the right to data portability. Data subjects also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if they believe their rights have been violated.

Information on Data Processing

The Controller does not use the personal data collected on this website to carry out automated decision-making (as defined in Article 22 of the GDPR) or profiling of data subjects. Some online services and tasks may be automated, such as event or newsletter registrations, but these are not based on analyzing the personal data or profile of the data subject.

Registration

Continuous Data Protection Policy Enhancement and Collective Monitoring

We welcome your suggestions for improving our data protection and privacy policy. If you identify any area for improvement, any inconsistency, or any data protection breach by processors, please inform us without delay through the contact form on the Symposium website.

Changes to this Policy

We reserve the right to revise this Privacy Policy and make amendments at our sole discretion. The most current version of the policy will govern our use of your information and will be available on the Symposium website: https://symposium2026.hellenic-ias.org. By continuing to access or use the Services after those changes become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised Privacy Policy.

Data Controller Contact Details

The Controller and its data protection officer can be contacted by regular mail or through the contact page on the Symposium website.

Cookies We Use on the HIAS Symposium 2026 Website

We aim to avoid and minimize the use of cookies. Therefore, this website does not use first-party cookies and makes every effort to avoid third-party cookies except where required for specific services such as registrations and online payments. While the registration forms may be visually integrated into the Symposium website, they may be provided and hosted on external servers operated by third parties acting as data processors.

General Information about Cookies

The following is a general overview of what cookies are and is provided for informational purposes only.

A cookie is a small text file that a website, app, or other platform stores on your device with information about your browsing and usage. Cookies were originally developed to improve user experience online, for example by remembering a user's login, preferences, and other customization settings. They also help in understanding how users interact with the website and what can be improved.

There are two types of cookies depending on their lifespan:

• Session cookies are temporary cookie files and are erased after users close their browser. When users restart their browser and return to the same site, they will not be recognized, and a new session cookie will be generated.
• Persistent cookies are longer-lasting cookie files and remain in the user’s browser for the period specified in the cookie file or until manually deleted.

Cookies can also be classified according to their owner:

• First-party cookies are placed by the Controller of the website in order for the website to function properly and to ensure the best possible experience for its users.
• Third-party cookies are owned by sites and web servers other than the main website.

Depending on their purpose, cookies can be divided into the following groups:

• Essential (technical) cookies, which are necessary for the proper functioning of the site. Examples include login cookies or shopping cart cookies.
• Functional cookies, which are used to recognize returning users and remember their preferences, such as language choice.
• Analytics cookies, which collect aggregate information on the number of visitors and patterns of visits to the Services. The data controller may use such information to identify security threats, analyze trends, and administer the Services.
• Behavioral advertising cookies, which gather information on users’ behavior in order, for example, to support effective advertising management.

User Consent

According to the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), users must be informed about the cookies used by the websites they visit. Users must provide prior informed consent, except for certain technical cookies, such as:

• Analytics cookies, insofar as they are used directly by the website manager to collect aggregate information on the number of visitors and patterns of visits to the website.
• Browsing or session cookies used to log in to the website.
• Functional cookies that allow users to navigate according to certain pre-determined criteria, such as language preference.

For profiling cookies, namely those aimed at creating user profiles and used to send advertising messages in line with the preferences shown by the user during navigation, the user’s prior consent is required.

Changes to this Policy

We reserve the right to revise this Cookies Policy and make amendments at our sole discretion. The most current version of the policy will govern our use of your information and will be available on the Symposium website: https://symposium2026.hellenic-ias.org. By continuing to access or use the Services after those changes become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised Cookies Policy.