MSE Master of Science in Engineering

The Swiss engineering master's degree


Privacy policy and legal information

Privacy policy as of April 1, 2020

This privacy policy applies to the website of the co-operative master’s program MSE Master of Science in Engineering (MSE). It is operated by the MSE head office @ OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule, Oberseestrasse 10, 8640 Rapperswil.  

1. Provision of the website

When you visit our website as a user, our system automatically collects data and information from your computer system. The following data are collected:

  1. Information about the browser type and version used
  2. The user's operating system
  3. The IP address of the user
  4. The website from which the user has accessed our website
  5. Websites that are called up by the user's system via our website
  6. Date and time of the call

Our system stores this data for a short time for the duration of the respective session.
The purpose of short-term storage is to deliver the website to the user's computer and to optimise our website.
The data will be deleted when the respective session has ended and you leave our website.
On the other hand, our system also stores this data for the long term in so-called log files. The purpose of long-term storage is to ensure the security of our systems (e.g., for tracing cyber-attacks) and to fulfil legal obligations under the Federal Act on the Surveillance of Post and Telecommunications. This data is deleted after two years at the latest.

2. Use of cookies

When you visit our website, our system can send so-called cookies to your computer and store them in your Internet browser. A cookie is a text file with a newly generated character string that our system allocates exclusively to your computer. Cookies enable our system to recognize your computer when you visit our website with the same browser again later. The HSR uses cookies to ensure the user-friendliness and functionality of the website, and for the purposes set out in section 3 below.
Cookies remain stored on your computer until you delete them in your Internet browser.
By changing the settings in your Internet browser, you can deactivate or restrict the transmission of cookies. However, you may then no longer be able to use all the functions of the website to their full extent.

3. Web analysis by Matomo (formerly PIWIK)

On the website, MSE uses the open-source software tool Matomo (formerly PIWIK) to analyse the surfing behaviour of users. When our website is called up, Matomo collects the following data:

  1. Information about the browser type and version used
  2. The user's operating system
  3. Two bytes of the IP address of the user’s calling system (e.g., 192.168.xxx.xxx)
  4. The website from which the user has accessed our website
  5. The subpages called up in the order in which they are called up
  6. The time spent on our website

Matomo places a cookie on the user's computer (for cookies, see section 2 above) and thus brings together the above data each time a page is called up from the same computer and the same browser.
While doing this, Matomo runs exclusively on our servers and stores the above data only with us.
The purpose of this data processing is to compile statistical information on the use of the individual components of the website in order to constantly improve the website and its user-friendliness.

4. References and links

The MSE website refers and links to offers/websites of third parties. Use and access to these websites is at your own risk.
The MSE corporate office has no influence on the design and content of these offers/websites. Responsibility for this lies entirely with the third-party providers.

5. Social media buttons

Our social media buttons are set up as pure HTML links. As long as you are not logged in with the relevant provider (Google, Facebook, etc.), no (additional) data about you will be processed when you click on the button.

6. Amendments

MSE may amend this privacy policy at any time without prior notice. The current version as published on the website applies.