Privacy Policy

The Innovative Scholars and Researchers Alliance ("ISRA," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and disclose your personal information when you use our website, apply for membership, participate in our programs, or otherwise interact with us.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide to Us

We collect information that you provide directly to us, including:

• Account and Profile Information: When you apply for membership or create an account, we collect your name, email address, password, professional title, institution/organization, field of research, education history, and other similar information.
• Membership Application Information: Information included in your membership application such as your academic credentials, research interests, publications, CV/resume, and references.
• Payment Information: If you make payments to us, we collect payment information, including credit card details or bank account information. This information is processed by our third-party payment processors.
• Communications: Information you provide when you contact us, respond to surveys, or participate in our forums or discussion groups.
• User Content: Research papers, articles, presentations, comments, feedback, and other content that you upload or post through our platform.

1.2 Information We Collect Automatically

When you access or use our website, we automatically collect certain information, including:

• Device and Usage Information: We collect information about your device and how you use our website, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, access times, pages viewed, and links clicked.
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activities. For more information, please see our Cookie Policy section below.

1.3 Information We Receive from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third parties, including:

• References: Information provided by your references if required for membership application.
• Academic Institutions: Verification of your academic credentials or affiliations.
• Research Partners: Information shared by our research partners or collaborators if you are involved in joint projects.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes, including:

• Processing your membership application and maintaining your account
• Providing, maintaining, and improving our services
• Facilitating collaboration among members and researchers
• Organizing and managing events, conferences, and research projects
• Processing payments and managing billing
• Sending administrative messages, updates, and promotional content
• Responding to your comments, questions, and requests
• Analyzing usage patterns and trends to enhance user experience
• Protecting against fraudulent, unauthorized, or illegal activity
• Complying with legal obligations

3. Sharing of Information

We may share your personal information in the following circumstances:

• With Other Members: Certain profile information (such as your name, professional title, institution, and research interests) may be visible to other ISRA members to facilitate collaboration.
• Service Providers: We share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as payment processing, data analysis, email delivery, hosting, and other services.
• Research Partners: If you participate in collaborative research projects, we may share relevant information with research partners or institutions involved in the project.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities.
• Business Transfers: If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.
• With Your Consent: We may share information with third parties when you have given us consent to do so.

4. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which we collected it, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. To determine the appropriate retention period, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the personal information, the potential risk of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure, and applicable legal requirements.

If you are no longer an active member, we will retain your personal information for a reasonable period to allow for potential reactivation of your membership. You may request deletion of your account information as described in the "Your Rights and Choices" section below.

5. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, accidental loss, alteration, or destruction. While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. International Transfers

ISRA is a global organization with members and operations in various countries. Your personal information may be transferred to, and processed in, countries other than the country in which you reside. These countries may have data protection laws that are different from the laws of your country.

We have implemented appropriate safeguards to ensure that your personal information remains protected in accordance with this Privacy Policy when transferred internationally, including when transferred to countries that may not provide the same level of protection as your own country.

7. Cookie Policy

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your browsing activities. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you visit a website.

We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential Cookies: These cookies are necessary for the website to function properly and cannot be switched off in our systems.
• Performance/Analytics Cookies: These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site.
• Functional Cookies: These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalization.
• Targeting Cookies: These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant ads on other sites.

You can control and manage cookies in various ways. Most web browsers allow you to manage your cookie preferences. You can set your browser to refuse cookies, or to alert you when cookies are being sent. However, if you disable cookies, some parts of our website may not function properly.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, including:

• Access: You may request access to your personal information and obtain a copy of the personal information we maintain about you.
• Correction: You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete personal information we maintain about you.
• Deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information.
• Restriction: You may request that we restrict the processing of your personal information.
• Objection: You may object to the processing of your personal information.
• Data Portability: You may request a copy of your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
• Withdrawal of Consent: Where we rely on your consent to process your personal information, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@isra-alliance.org. Please note that these rights may be limited in some circumstances by applicable law.

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under the age of 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under the age of 18 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time in response to changing legal, technical, or business developments. When we update our Privacy Policy, we will take appropriate measures to inform you, consistent with the significance of the changes we make. We will obtain your consent to any material Privacy Policy changes if and where this is required by applicable data protection laws.

You can see when this Privacy Policy was last updated by checking the "Last Updated" date displayed at the top of this Privacy Policy.

11. Contact Us

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

Innovative Scholars and Researchers Alliance
Aydın Adnan Menderes University
Kepez Mevkii, Efeler
Aydın, Turkey
Email: privacy@isra-alliance.org