General Terms of Use of the EPFL Alumni Platform
Version 1.2, updated 19.06.2023
1. Preamble
EPFL's mission is to offer members of the EPFL Alumni community an exclusive and international network, a lifelong link with EPFL and various Services in order to encourage them to be ambassadors and to contribute to the development of EPFL.
EPFL, through its EPFL Alumni service, manages the Website (https://epflalumni.ch), which brings together all activities relating to the EPFL Alumni community. It is intended for Alumni Members, Members of the EPFL community, Guest Members, Companies and Visitors. It includes information and news about EPFL and its Alumni, Alumni and Company Services, private and public events, a directory of Members and Companies, sharing areas and groups reserved for Members.
The purpose of these General Terms of Use (GTU) is to regulate and govern access to and use of the Website and the Services by Members and Visitors. Members and Visitors acknowledge that they have read and understood the GTU and agree to be bound by them. EPFL reserves the right to modify the GTU at any time. Continued use of the Website and/or Services after a modification of the GTU constitutes acceptance of this modification.
2. Definitions
Terms beginning with a capital letter in the GTU have the following meaning:
- Administrator refers to any person (EPFL or subcontractor) who has access to set up the Website and configure or perform actions on the Accounts;
- GTU means the present general terms of use;
- Account means a valid account giving access to the Services of the Website reserved to the Users;
- Company means any company or institution, regardless of its legal form, that wishes to use or uses the Services of the Website;
- Member means any person entitled to be part of the EPFL Alumni community, as specified in LEX 1.1.13 and allowed to have an Account on the Website. An Alumni Member is a Member with an EPFL diploma. An Alumni Member may become a Contributor, by paying an annual contribution entitling him/her to certain Services described on the Website. Other Members may be invited to join the community or certain parts of the Website according to associated rights, such as Honorary, Academic, Administrative, Guest or Corporate Members;
- Services means the services provided by EPFL as described in art. 4;
- Website refers to the EPFL Alumni website https://epflalumni.ch;
- Visitors refer to any natural person consulting the public pages of the Website who does not have an Account;
- Contribution means any annual subscription by an Alumni Member giving him/her access to various Services as described on the Website and enabling him/her to support the activities of the EPFL Alumni service. There are different levels of Contribution to choose from;
- Subscription means any subscription by a Corporate Member to access the Job Portal;
- Job Portal means the Job Posting Service, the Application Management System and the Job Board, and is located on a specific part of the Website.
- Data Protection
By browsing the Website and using the Services, Members and Visitors provide personal data about themselves. In this respect, EPFL is responsible for the processing of personal data and undertakes to process the data in accordance with EPFL's privacy policy available at https://www.epfl.ch/about/presidency/presidents-team/legal-affairs/epfl-privacy-policy/
In the context of the Job Portal, EPFL acts as a subcontractor and the Company, represented by the Company Member or Alumni Member who posts job offers, is responsible for the data processing.
When responding to a job offer, the Alumni Member communicates his/her data to the Company, and his/her data will be processed in accordance with the privacy policy of the Company in question.
By validating an Account and a Subscription, EPFL considers that the Member presents sufficient guarantees as to the implementation of appropriate technical and organizational measures so that the processing guarantees the protection of the data subject's rights.
As a subcontractor, EPFL undertakes to process only personal data, undertakes to respect confidentiality, takes all technical and organizational measures to guarantee the protection of hosted data, assists the data controller in fulfilling its legal obligations and immediately informs the data controller of any breach.
EPFL, subcontracting the management of the platform to another subcontractor, is nevertheless responsible and ensures that its obligations are fulfilled.
4. Description of Services
On the Website, EPFL may offer various Services to Alumni with the aim of strengthening their ties with EPFL and promoting the networking, mutual support, professional integration and careers of Alumni Members.
4.1 Services accessible with an Account
Certain Services are only accessible with an Account, in particular:
- Members' directory with access to Members' profiles;
- Exchange and networking between Members (internal messaging, network activity feed);
- Company directory;
- Job Portal, which includes a job posting service, application management and a job board;
- Groups for the management of geographical chapters and thematic clubs;
- Mentoring and career services;
- Lifetime email address in the form of an alias, enabling redirection to the e-mail address of your choice;
- Payment for donations and contributions;
- Ticketing for private events.
4.2 Services accessible without an Account
Certain Services are accessible without an Account, in particular the following Services:
- Content (news, events, newsletters);
- Ticketing for public events.
5. Use of Website by Users
5.1 Account
Only a Member or a Company may have an Account and access the Services mentioned in section 4.1. Access to the various Services depends on the Member type. In particular, Company Members have restricted access, allowing them only to post job offers, manage applications and update their Company profile.
When logging in for the first time, all new Members must provide a valid e-mail address, specify their password, accept the GTU and update their Account preferences with regard to notifications and the desired level of confidentiality.
Users may change and update their e-mail address and password at any time from their Account. Users are solely responsible for maintaining and safeguarding their login information.
The password associated with each Account is strictly personal and confidential and must not be shared with third parties. Members are responsible for the quality and confidentiality of their chosen password as well as for any activity generated by their password and Account. It is recommended to change the password regularly and to choose a sufficiently complex password.
5.2 Internal messaging and news feed
The Website allows Members to have access to an internal messaging system and to various network activity feeds, on which they can post comments. EPFL encourages mutually respectful exchanges. Any Member may share information deemed relevant and useful to the community primarily for professional, social or educational purposes. In their publications, Members agree to respect the rules of Netiquette (rules of good conduct of the Internet) and the legal rules in force.
In particular, the following messages are prohibited:
- abusive, offensive, obscene or defamatory messages;
- content infringing the rights of others, in particular disclosing personal information about a person without his or her prior consent;
- content that is violent or incites racism, pornography, pedophilia or crimes;
- content published for the purposes of propaganda, politics or inappropriate commercial prospection;
- any message that may harm the image of EPFL and its community or of a third party;
- any message posting information that is repetitive and irrelevant to the group.
Members may report any disturbing message to the Administrators. EPFL Administrators may delete without notice any message that does not comply with the above conditions. The EPFL may exercise moderation on publications and reserves the right to refuse their publication online, without having to justify this to Members.
EPFL reserves the right, without justification, to refuse access to any Member who fails to comply with the present terms of use or applicable law, either temporarily or permanently, depending on the seriousness of the offence.
5.3 Participation in groups
The Website enables volunteer Alumni Members or Guests to manage geographical groups or thematic clubs within the network, in agreement with the EPFL Alumni Service. Members of each group may thus have access to articles, events, forums, media and a directory specific to their group. Each group and its Members must comply with the provisions of these GTU.
5.4 Use of the Job Portal
The Website offers a Job Portal on which Members can publish job offers and manage applications. Job listings are visible on the public Website to all Visitors, but only Alumni Members with an activated account can consult the details of the job and apply for jobs by submitting their CV, covering letter or other requested documents or by being redirected from the Job Portal to the Company's website.
5.4.1 Company Members
Company recruiters wishing to publish job offers must create a Company Member Account attached to the said Company, which is personal and subject to prior validation by the EPFL Alumni service, which reserves the right to refuse activation without justification. By creating a Company Member Account, the Member undertakes to provide only true and accurate information and contractually commits the Company. This service is reserved for direct employers only. Job offers published by recruitment service providers (e.g. recruitment firms, advertising or marketing agencies, etc.) are not accepted, unless the third-party company has been exclusively commissioned by the customer (e.g. headhunters). In this case, the publication of offers is authorized, provided that the offer clearly mentions the final employer. This clause is necessary to ensure that the same job offer is not published twice on the platform (direct employer and service provider/third party), and for reasons of transparency.
In order to access the Job Portal and publish job offers, the Corporate Member must subscribe to a Subscription. The various Subscriptions, their period of validity and their current price are communicated on the Website at the time of purchase. They may be modified at any time. Prices include VAT.
By subscribing to a Subscription, the Corporate Member undertakes to pay the corresponding amount and has a choice of two means of payment:
- Credit card: This is the preferred method of payment, as it allows instant payment and immediate access to the Service. As soon as payment is finalized, a detailed receipt is available on the Platform. An invoice can be requested by email by contacting: alumni@epfl.ch.
- Invoice: In the case of payment by invoice, the Subscription must be validated by EPFL Alumni and access to the Service granted upon validation of the Subscription. Invoices are sent by email to the address provided by the Company. Invoices are due 30 days after the invoice date. In the event of non-payment, EPFL reserves the right to deactivate all job offers published by the Company on the Platform, terminate the Subscription and block access to its Services.
The Corporate Member Account and the Subscription are personal and nominative. In the event of subscription to an unlimited annual Subscription, other recruiters from the same company/legal entity may create a Company Member Account and contact EPFL Alumni Service by e-mail (career.alumni@epfl.ch) in order to benefit from the same Subscription.
Academic Institutions (Universities, Hautes Ecoles...) can use the Job Portal free of charge and on an unlimited basis. Recruiters or employees must create a Company Member Account. Once the Account has been validated, the Corporate Member must choose an Academic Subscription, which will give them access to the Job Portal, where they can post job offers and manage applications.
5.4.2 Alumni Members
Alumni wishing to publish job offers must activate their Alumni Account and become a Contributing Member by subscribing on the Website to the Contribution of their choice.
Once their Contribution has been validated, they will be able to access the Job Portal and post job offers free of charge for as long as their Contribution is valid. They can also manage applications directly from their Account.
Alumni Members who recruit in this way undertake to do so only for positions to be filled within their teams, to manage the applications themselves and to hold the Company responsible. If the Company has broader recruitment needs, they must follow the procedure described for Corporate Members.
5.4.3 Legal framework and responsibilities
Members who publish a job offer undertake to use the Job Portal only for lawful recruitment purposes and in strict compliance with the Federal Law on Employment Services and the Hiring of Services (RS. 823.11; LSE), the Ordinance on Employment Services and the Hiring of Services (RS. 823.111; OSE) and the Federal Law on Data Protection (RS. 235.1; LPD). In particular, it undertakes not to process the data received for any purpose other than that of the job offered, except with the express consent of the person concerned.
By publishing a job offer on the Job Portal, the Corporate Member or Alumni Member agrees:
- to publish only offers corresponding to actual vacancies;
- to publish only job offers that require an academic education at least equivalent to that of a Bachelor's degree;
- not to publish more than one job description at a time in the same advert;
- not to publish vague or generic job offers;
- not to publish job offers for illegal activities.
EPFL reserves the right to refuse or delete any job offer that contravenes the good morals and ethical principles described, in a non-exhaustive manner, in LEX 1.10.1.
5.5 Violation of the GTU
In the event of non-compliance with the GTU by a Member and depending on the degree of seriousness, EPFL reserves the right to suspend without notice the Services, to block the Member’s Account, to terminate the Subscription or Contribution with immediate effect and without compensation and/or to refuse access to the Services.
6. Use of the Website by Visitors
Visitors may access the Website, view articles and public events, but may not view profiles, post comments or participate in discussions. The GCU apply from the moment they access the Site. They may register for events open to the public.
7. Intellectual Property
The texts, software, images, videos, data and all other works on this Website belong to EPFL or to third parties and are protected by intellectual property rights. Members and Visitors undertake not to reproduce them without the express consent of EPFL or the rights holders. Members and Visitors undertake not to copy or sell all or part of the Site, nor to create a database with the information contained on the Website.
EPFL grants Members and Visitors a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable and revocable license at any time to use the Site, its content and the Services in accordance with the use provided for in these GTU. Any other use is excluded without the prior written consent of EPFL.
Members warrant to EPFL that they have the necessary rights to the articles, testimonials, comments, images and data of any kind that they publish. Members undertake to deal immediately with any claims by third parties arising from the infringement of intellectual property rights and to bear all costs incurred by EPFL as a result of such claims, including damages.
By accepting the present GTU, they expressly authorize EPFL to use and reproduce all the content they have published, without limit (geographical, temporal, etc.) or compensation.
8. Security
Members and Visitors acknowledge that they are aware of the risks associated with the use of the Internet and networks, and in particular, the fact that information relating to their personal data may be copied or intercepted. Members and Visitors acknowledge that they accept these risks, for which EPFL can under no circumstances be held responsible. For its part, EPFL makes every effort to ensure a permanent level of security in accordance with the best practices in this field.
9. Responsibility of Users and Visitors
Members and Visitors expressly acknowledge and agree to use the Website and Services at their own risk and under their sole responsibility.
Members and Visitors undertake not to violate any legal norm or to use the Site and Services for any illicit purpose or any purpose other than that for which they are offered. In particular, they undertake not to use the Services to send spam or viruses, to send or consult pornographic content, to harm the reputation or image of third parties, to violate copyright or to be unlawful for any other reason.
Members and Visitors also agree to release and discharge EPFL and its employees from all liability for any claims, costs, damages, and expenses (including attorneys' fees and court costs) arising out of (i) their use of the Website or the Services; (ii) failure to comply with or breach of any provision of the GTU; (iii) unauthorized use of their Account; (iv) damage arising from infringement of third party rights through use of the Website or Services; (v) and any other cause of damage to EPFL.
10. Disclaimer of Warranty
The Website and Services are accessible to Members and Visitors via the Internet and require the availability of Internet access at the charge and expense of Members and Visitors. The proper functioning of the Website and Services is subject to the conditions of access to the Internet network by Members and Visitors.
EPFL cannot be held responsible for any malfunctioning of the Website and Services and the consequences thereofe arising from malfunctioning, restricted, or degraded access to the Internet. In general, EPFL does not guarantee that the Website and Services will meet all the needs of Members and Visitors in terms of functionality, and that they will be up to date, free from error, malfunction or virus.
EPFL undertakes to take particular care regarding the accuracy of the information it publishes on the Website and to keep it regularly updated. However, errors or omissions may occur. Any such errors or omissions may be reported to EPFL so that it can make the necessary corrections.
The contents of the Website published by EPFL may be modified at any time without EPFL being held responsible. During their verifications and occasional interventions, the Website Administrators undertake not to modify the content published by Users in a way that could change its meaning. However, they reserve the right to move content if they notice a flagrant error in the thematic classification.
EPFL does not guarantee uninterrupted access to the Website and the Services, in particular in the event of maintenance or repair work or disruptions to Internet connections. EPFL cannot be held responsible for technical failures and related data loss, nor for any other indirect damage occurring during or related to the use of the Website or Services.
EPFL provides no guarantee as to the quality or accuracy of candidate profiles or job offers.
The Website may contain hypertext links to other websites. Members and Visitors browse these sites under their sole and entire responsibility. EPFL cannot be held responsible for the content of these third-party sites, in the event that a Member or Visitor suffers damage as a result.
11. Contact
For any question relating to the application of these GTU or any other information, Members and Visitors may contact EPFL at any time at the following email address: alumni@epfl.ch or by phone during office hours at +41 21 693 24 91. For questions relating to data protection, Users and Visitors can contact the Data Protection Officer at the following email address: dpo@epfl.ch.
12. General Clauses
EPFL may at any time exercise control over or demand information on any matter relating to the contractual relationship between EPFL and Members and Visitors.
Members shall treat as confidential all information indicated as such by the Administrator. The obligation to maintain secrecy shall continue after the contractual relationship has ended.
Members may not transfer or assign their rights arising from the contractual relationship with EPFL Alumni without the latter's prior consent.
The French version is authoritative.
12. Applicable Law
The GTU, as well as the use of the Services, are exclusively subject to Swiss substantive law. The place of jurisdiction is Lausanne, Switzerland.