Last updated: August 2026

At LYENS, we are committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of the individuals who visit our website, contact our organisation or interact with us through our online channels. This Privacy Policy explains how ASOCIACIÓN LIFE SCIENCES YOUTH EUROPEAN NETWORKS (“LYENS”, “we”, “us” or “our”) collects, uses, stores and protects personal data through www.lyens.org (the “Website”), in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation — “GDPR”), Spanish Organic Law 3/2018 on Personal Data Protection and Guarantee of Digital Rights (“LOPDGDD”), and other applicable data protection legislation.

1. Data Controller:
The controller responsible for the processing of personal data through the Website is: 
     Legal name: ASOCIACIÓN LIFE SCIENCES YOUTH EUROPEAN NETWORKS
     Operating name: LYENS — Life Sciences Youth European Networks
     Legal form: Non-profit association incorporated under Spanish law
     Tax Identification Number (NIF): G27573104 (provisional NIF; definitive NIF currently being processed)
     Registered office: Calle Hermosilla 48, 1st Floor, Right Door, 28001 Madrid, Spain
     Contact email: secretariat@lyens.org
     Website: www.lyens.org For any question concerning this Privacy Policy or the processing of your personal data, you may contact LYENS at secretariat@lyens.org.

2. Scope of this Privacy Policy:
This Privacy Policy applies to personal data processed through the public Website and through communications initiated from it. Specific LYENS services, programmes or platforms — including membership applications, member areas, academic submissions, peer-review activities, Industry Challenges, events, training programmes or Congress registrations — may be subject to additional or specific privacy notices where the nature of the processing requires it. Where a specific privacy notice applies to a particular service or activity, that notice will complement this Privacy Policy and, in relation to that specific processing, will prevail where necessary.

3. Personal Data We May Collect:
Depending on how you interact with the Website, LYENS may process the following categories of personal data:

3.1. Identification and contact data: This may include: name and surname; email address; telephone number, where voluntarily provided; organisation, institution or university; professional or academic position; country or location, where voluntarily provided.

3.2. Information submitted through forms or communications: When you contact LYENS, we may process the information contained in your enquiry or communication, including information relating to:general enquiries; institutional relations; partnerships and collaborations; academic or professional opportunities; programmes and events; membership or participation enquiries; media or communication requests. Please do not provide sensitive or special-category personal data unless it is specifically requested by LYENS and there is an appropriate legal basis for its processing.

3.3. Technical and usage data: When you access the Website, certain technical information may be processed automatically in order to operate, secure and maintain the Website. This may include, depending on the technologies used: IP address; browser type and version; device type and identifiers; operating system; date and time of access; pages visited; referring website; technical logs; approximate geographical information derived from technical data; information necessary to detect security incidents, spam or abuse.

3.4. Communication preferences: Where LYENS offers newsletters, updates or similar communications and you choose to subscribe, we may process your email address and your communication preferences, together with evidence of your consent where required.

4. Purposes and Legal Bases for Processing:
LYENS processes personal data only where there is an appropriate legal basis under applicable data protection law.

4.1. Responding to enquiries and communications
     Purpose: To receive, manage and respond to enquiries, requests or communications submitted to LYENS.
     Legal basis: Our legitimate interest in managing communications relating to the organisation and, where appropriate, taking steps at the request of the data subject before entering into a relationship or agreement.

4.2. Managing institutional and partnership relations
     Purpose: To manage communications and relationships with universities, research institutions, companies, organisations, speakers, partners, collaborators and other relevant stakeholders.
     Legal basis: LYENS’ legitimate interest in developing and maintaining relationships necessary to pursue its non-profit objectives and activities.

4.3. Operating and securing the Website
     Purpose: To ensure the technical operation, availability, security and integrity of the Website; prevent fraud, spam, abuse or unauthorised access; and investigate technical or security incidents.
     Legal basis: LYENS’ legitimate interest in maintaining a secure and functional Website and, where applicable, compliance with legal obligations.

4.4. Sending newsletters and optional communications
     Purpose: Where offered, to send news, updates, opportunities, events or other information concerning LYENS to individuals who have requested to receive such communications.
     Legal basis: Your consent, where consent is required.You may withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before its withdrawal.

4.5. Compliance with legal obligations
     Purpose: To comply with applicable legal, regulatory, accounting, administrative or judicial obligations and to respond to requests from competent authorities.
     Legal basis: Compliance with a legal obligation applicable to LYENS.

4.6. Establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims
     Where necessary, personal data may be processed for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
     Legal basis: LYENS’ legitimate interest in protecting its rights and legitimate interests.

5. Cookies and Similar Technologies:
The Website may use cookies and similar technologies necessary for its operation and, where applicable, optional technologies for analytics or other purposes. Where applicable law requires consent for the use of non-essential cookies or similar technologies, such technologies will only be activated after obtaining the appropriate consent. Further information about the technologies used, their purposes and how preferences can be managed is available in the Cookie Policy.

6. Recipients and Service Providers:
LYENS does not sell personal data. Personal data may be accessible, where necessary, to authorised members, officers, collaborators or service providers acting on behalf of LYENS and only to the extent required for the relevant purpose. LYENS may use third-party service providers for services such as: website hosting and technical infrastructure; domain and email services; website maintenance and security; forms and data collection; analytics, where enabled; cybersecurity and abuse prevention; other technological services necessary for the operation of the Website. The Website is built using WordPress and is hosted by IONOS. IONOS may process certain personal data on behalf of LYENS insofar as necessary to provide hosting, infrastructure and related technical services. Where a service provider processes personal data on behalf of LYENS, LYENS requires appropriate data protection safeguards and, where applicable, enters into the corresponding data processing arrangements in accordance with Article 28 GDPR. Certain WordPress plugins or integrations used on the Website may be provided by independent third parties. Where such technologies process personal data, information regarding the relevant provider and processing activities will be included in this Privacy Policy and/or the Cookie Policy, as applicable. Personal data may also be disclosed to public authorities, courts, regulators or other competent bodies where required by applicable law.

7. International Data Transfers:
As a general rule, LYENS seeks to process personal data within the European Economic Area (EEA).Where the use of a service provider involves the transfer of personal data outside the EEA, LYENS will ensure that such transfer is carried out in accordance with the GDPR and that appropriate safeguards are in place.Further information regarding international transfers, where applicable, may be requested by contacting secretariat@lyens.org.

8. Data Retention:
Personal data will be retained only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and, where applicable, for the periods required by law. As a general principle: enquiries and correspondence will be retained for the time necessary to manage and respond to the relevant matter and may subsequently be retained for a reasonable period where necessary for organisational continuity or the protection of LYENS’ legitimate interests; data processed on the basis of consent for optional communications will generally be retained until consent is withdrawn or the individual requests to unsubscribe; technical and security information will be retained for the period reasonably necessary to ensure the operation and security of the Website; where data is relevant to a legal obligation or potential legal claim, it may be retained, appropriately restricted where applicable, for the corresponding statutory limitation period. Once personal data is no longer required, it will be deleted, anonymised or appropriately restricted in accordance with applicable law.

9. Your Data Protection Rights:
Under the GDPR and applicable data protection legislation, you may have the right to: Access your personal data and obtain information about how it is processed; Rectify inaccurate or incomplete personal data; Request erasure of your personal data where the applicable legal requirements are met; Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances; Object to processing based on legitimate interests in certain circumstances; Request data portability where the legal requirements for portability are met; Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal; Lodge a complaint with the competent data protection supervisory authority. To exercise your rights, you may contact: secretariat@lyens.org Your request should contain sufficient information to enable LYENS to identify the personal data concerned and process your request. Where LYENS has reasonable doubts concerning the identity of the person making a request, additional information may be requested solely to confirm their identity. LYENS will respond to requests within the time limits established by applicable data protection law.

10. Right to Lodge a Complaint:
If you believe that the processing of your personal data infringes applicable data protection legislation, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a competent supervisory authority. For LYENS, the relevant Spanish supervisory authority is the: Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD) — Spanish Data Protection Agency You may also, where applicable under the GDPR, contact the supervisory authority of the EU or EEA Member State in which you habitually reside, work or where the alleged infringement occurred. We encourage you to contact LYENS first at secretariat@lyens.org if you have any concerns regarding the processing of your personal data so that we can attempt to address them.

11. Automated Decision-Making and Profiling:
The public Website does not use personal data to make decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal effects concerning individuals or similarly significantly affect them. If LYENS introduces a service involving automated decision-making or profiling subject to specific obligations under applicable law, the affected individuals will receive the corresponding information before such processing takes place.

12. Data Security:
LYENS implements appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or access. These measures are reviewed according to the nature of the processing, the technologies used and the risks presented to the rights and freedoms of individuals. However, no internet-based system can guarantee absolute security. Users should therefore also take reasonable measures to protect their devices, accounts and communications.

13. Third-Party Websites:
The Website may contain links to websites or services operated by third parties. LYENS is not responsible for the privacy practices or personal data processing activities of independent third-party websites. Users should review the privacy information provided by those third parties before submitting personal data to them.

14. Changes to this Privacy Policy:
LYENS may update this Privacy Policy where necessary to reflect changes in applicable law, its activities, the Website, the technologies used or the manner in which personal data is processed. The current version will be published on the Website and the date of the latest update will be indicated at the beginning of this document. Where changes materially affect how personal data is processed, LYENS will take appropriate steps to inform affected individuals where required by applicable law.

15. Contact:
For any questions, requests or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or the processing of personal data by LYENS, please contact: ASOCIACIÓN LIFE SCIENCES YOUTH EUROPEAN NETWORKS
Calle Hermosilla 48, 1st Floor, Right Door
28001 Madrid, Spain
Email: secretariat@lyens.org
Website: www.lyens.org