What is the project about?
The BraStart project will help understand what helps first-year students, and what might make it challenging for them to complete their studies. The project will offer suggestions to the university about how to support students in their studies and how to improve the study environment.
Specifically, the project will answer the question: "What can the students’ data about digital study activities and data about their academic background tell us about their study completion and experiences in the first year of university studies?"
The project period is September 1, 2023–December 31, 2026, with the processing of data from August 12, 2024, up until the end of the project.
Who is responsible for the research project?
University of Oslo is responsible for the project.
Why are first-year students included in the research study?
The first year of university is really important for both students and the university. During this time, students learn the basic skills they need further in their studies and become part of the student community at UiO. This helps them succeed in their studies. It is of societal interest that students complete their studies.
To understand how students use digital tools and what their first-year experiences are like, we need data from many students. This is why all first-year students at the University of Oslo take part in this study.
What data do we collect from the students?
The data collected from the University of Oslo's internal systems:
- Felles studentsystem (FS) is the national system for student administrative data. From FS we will collect study administration data and academic background data (e.g., student ID, age, place of residence, previous education, semester grades).
- Canvas is UiO’s digital learning platform. It is used for teaching and study work. From Canvas we collect students’ data about digital study activities, such as page views, participation in discussion forums and quizzes, the number of messages, assignments submission. For first-year computer science (IFI) students, we collect digital traces related to study activity from the platforms Devilry and Discourse.
In addition, we will collect:
- Survey data about how students feel about their studies and the study environment at UiO. The surveys will be conducted three times in the first year.
How do we process the students’ data?
The data about students will be collected and stored electronically. The project does not collect any sensitive personal data like health information, financial details, or personal beliefs about sensitive matters. However, we do process a large amount of data that is private (described on this webpage). We will handle the students’ data with high security and confidentiality, using the University of Oslo’s secure servers for research data.
Students can withdraw from the study
Students can choose to withdraw from the study. If they wish to withdraw, they can contact us via the contact information provided at the bottom of this document. There will be no negative consequences for students who choose to withdraw.
Students’ privacy: How do we store and use the students’ data?
We are collecting the data based on the permissions granted by the Norwegian Personal Protection Act § 8 and GDPR Art. 6 (1e), cf. Art. 6 (3b), cf. Section 8 of the Personal Data Act.
We will only use the data about students for the purposes we have described on this webpage. We treat the information confidentially and in accordance with the privacy regulations.
The data collected will be accessible only to the research team at the University of Oslo. The researchers have signed a confidentiality agreement and data will be used strictly for the purposes outlined on this webpage.
To keep data safe, we will store it securely on UiO secured servers. We will remove identifying details (pseudonymization) and we will limit access only to those who have been granted right and signed the confidentiality agreement. All data will be processed within Norway and EU and will not be sent elsewhere.
Students will not be recognizable in any publications resulting from this research project.
What happens to the students’ data at the end of the research project?
At the end of the project, which is scheduled for 31.12.2026, we will delete all data that directly can identify students in the dataset (de-identification). If it becomes necessary we will keep the de-identified dataset up until 2031 and it might also be used for future research projects, always respecting your privacy and confidentiality.
What gives us the right to process students’ data?
We are processing data about students’ study activities and academic background because the research project is considered to be of public interest. Students have the right to object if they do not wish to be included in the study.
The Ministry of Education has granted the project permission to collect and research data until the project ends. The project will obtain the necessary permissions if it becomes necessary to retain de-identified data for 5 years after the project ends.
On behalf of the University of Oslo, Sikt – Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research has assessed that the processing of data in this project is in accordance with the privacy regulations.
What are students’ rights?
As long as students can be identified in the collected data, they have the right to:
- object
- access the personal data registered about them
- have personal data about them corrected/rectified,
- have personal data about them deleted, and
- file a complaint with the Norwegian Data Protection Authority regarding the processing of their personal data.
If students wish to exercise their rights to withdraw, they can use this electronic form.
If students have questions about the research project, want to know more, or exercise their rights, they can contact:
- Project leader Crina Damşa, Department of Education at UiO, crina.damsa@iped.uio.no
- Data Protection Officer Roger Markgraf-Bye at UiO: personvernombud@uio.no
More information can also be found at the project website
If the students have questions related to the assessment of this project by SIKT's data protection services, they may contact: Data protection services at e-mail: personverntjenester@sikt.no) or by phone: +47 73 98 40 40.