Last updated:
January 2026

Privacy Notice — NIFS Websites

The National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS) is committed to protecting your privacy. This notice explains how we collect, use, and protect personal information on websites within the nifs.ac.lk domain.

Scope of This Notice

This privacy notice applies to information that we collect when you visit the Institute's main website (www.nifs.ac.lk) and other websites that we own, control, link or refer to within the nifs.ac.lk domain.

This notice does not apply to information collected from or about current or former employees, contractors, volunteers, post-doctorate fellows, and other workers of the National Institute of Fundamental Studies.

Data Controller

The National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS) is the data controller for personal information collected through its websites.

If you have questions about how NIFS handles your personal information, you may contact us through the details provided at www.nifs.ac.lk/contact or write to us at:

National Institute of Fundamental Studies Hantana Road, Kandy 20000, Sri Lanka Email: info@nifs.ac.lk

Personal Information We Collect

NIFS collects information that can reasonably identify you as an individual when you interact with our websites. This may include:

• Information you voluntarily provide (e.g., contact forms, newsletter subscriptions, event registrations) • Usage data collected automatically when you browse our website (e.g., IP address, browser type, pages visited, time spent) • Information provided when you apply for study programmes or research positions through our online portals

We collect only the information necessary to provide you with the services you request and to improve your experience on our website.

Cookies

Our websites use cookies to enhance your browsing experience. We use three types of cookies:

Session Cookies — These are temporary cookies that are deleted when you close your browser. They allow the website to remember your actions during a single browsing session.

Persistent Cookies — These cookies remain stored on your device for a specific period of time. They help us remember your preferences for future visits.

Third-Party Cookies — Some pages on our website may include content from third-party services (such as embedded maps, videos, or social media buttons). These third parties may place their own cookies on your device, subject to their own privacy policies.

You may configure your browser to refuse cookies; however, some features of our website may not function correctly if you do so.

How We Use Your Information

NIFS uses personal information collected through our websites for the following purposes:

• To respond to your enquiries and provide requested information • To process applications for study programmes, fellowships, or research positions • To send newsletters and updates about NIFS activities (where you have subscribed) • To improve the usability and content of our websites • To comply with legal obligations and institutional reporting requirements • To analyse website usage patterns and enhance our online services

We will not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for commercial purposes.

Sharing of Information

NIFS does not sell or rent personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• With service providers who assist in operating our website and services, subject to confidentiality agreements • With government authorities or regulatory bodies where required by law • With the Ministry of Science and Technology or other government entities as part of our statutory reporting obligations • In anonymised or aggregated form for research or statistical purposes

Any third parties who receive your information are required to handle it in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you • Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information • Request deletion of your personal information where it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected • Withdraw consent for processing where processing is based on consent • Lodge a complaint with a relevant data protection authority

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@nifs.ac.lk or through our contact page.

Security

NIFS takes reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. Our websites use HTTPS encryption for data transmission.

However, no internet transmission is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of information transmitted to our website.

Updates to This Notice

We may update this privacy notice from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or in applicable laws. The updated notice will be posted on this page with a revised date. We encourage you to review this notice periodically.

If you have any questions about this privacy notice or how we handle your personal information, please contact us at info@nifs.ac.lk.