What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile phone) when you visit our website. They help us provide you with a better experience by remembering your preferences, understanding how you use our platform, and enabling certain functionality that makes our services more efficient and user-friendly.
This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, how we use them, the types of cookies we use, how you can control your cookie preferences, and provides information about the third-party cookies that may be present on our platform. By continuing to use our website, you consent to our use of cookies as described in this policy.
Cookies are widely used across the internet and are essential for many website functions. They cannot harm your device or files, but they do allow websites to recognise your device and remember information about your visit.
How We Use Cookies
We use cookies for several important purposes to enhance your experience on our platform:
- To ensure our platform functions properly and securely across different devices and browsers
- To remember your login status, preferences, and personalised settings
- To track your progress through our programmes and maintain learning continuity
- To analyse how our platform is used and identify areas for improvement
- To provide personalised content, recommendations, and learning pathways
- To maintain the security of your account and protect against unauthorised access
- To enable communication features between participants and mentors
- To support our customer service and technical support functions
- To conduct research and analytics for educational methodology improvement
- To ensure optimal performance and loading times for our platform
- To remember your cookie preferences and consent choices
Types of Cookies We Use
Essential Cookies
These cookies are absolutely necessary for our platform to function properly and cannot be disabled. They enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. Essential cookies include:
- Authentication cookies to verify your identity and maintain login sessions
- Security cookies to protect against fraud, abuse, and unauthorised access
- Load balancing cookies to ensure optimal performance and server distribution
- Session management cookies to maintain your progress through the platform
- Accessibility cookies to support assistive technologies and user preferences
- Form submission cookies to prevent duplicate submissions and maintain data integrity
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable enhanced functionality and personalisation features. They may be set by us or by third-party providers whose services we use on our platform:
- Preference cookies to remember your settings, language choices, and customisations
- Language and region cookies to display content in your preferred language
- Progress tracking cookies for your learning journey and course completion
- User interface cookies to remember your layout preferences and display settings
- Communication cookies to enable chat features and mentor interactions
- Notification cookies to manage your alert preferences and delivery methods
Analytics Cookies
These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our platform by collecting and reporting information anonymously. This data helps us improve our services:
- Usage analytics cookies to track page views, session duration, and user behaviour patterns
- Performance monitoring cookies to identify technical issues and optimisation opportunities
- Error tracking cookies to identify and fix problems that affect user experience
- A/B testing cookies to evaluate different versions of features and content
- Conversion tracking cookies to measure the effectiveness of our programmes and marketing
- Heat mapping cookies to understand how users interact with different page elements
- Survey and feedback cookies to collect user opinions and satisfaction data
Marketing Cookies
These cookies are used to track visitors across websites and deliver relevant, personalised advertising and content:
- Advertising cookies to show relevant content and measure campaign effectiveness
- Social media cookies for sharing functionality and social login features
- Remarketing cookies to show you relevant advertisements on other websites
- Personalisation cookies to customise content based on your interests and behaviour
- Cross-device tracking cookies to provide consistent experiences across your devices
- Attribution cookies to understand which marketing channels are most effective
Third-Party Cookies and Services
Some cookies on our platform are set by third-party services that appear on our pages. We do not control these cookies, and you should check the relevant third party's website for more information about their cookie policies and privacy practices.
Common Third-Party Services We Use
- Google Analytics: For comprehensive website analytics, user behaviour tracking, and performance monitoring
- Payment Processors: For secure payment processing, fraud detection, and transaction management
- Video Platforms: For embedded educational content, webinars, and interactive learning materials
- Communication Tools: For chat functionality, video conferencing, and support ticket systems
- Content Delivery Networks: For faster loading of images, videos, and other media content
- Social Media Platforms: For social sharing buttons and social login functionality
- Customer Support Tools: For help desk functionality, live chat, and user feedback collection
- Email Service Providers: For newsletter delivery, automated emails, and communication tracking
Managing Third-Party Cookies
You can manage third-party cookies through your browser settings or by visiting the privacy settings of the respective third-party services. Many third-party services also provide opt-out mechanisms for their tracking cookies.
Managing Your Cookie Preferences
Browser Settings and Controls
Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings preferences. You can typically:
- View what cookies are stored on your device and their expiration dates
- Delete existing cookies individually or all at once
- Block cookies from being set by specific websites or all websites
- Set preferences for specific websites and cookie types
- Receive notifications when cookies are being set
- Configure automatic deletion of cookies when you close your browser
Our Cookie Preference Centre
When you first visit our platform, we will ask for your consent to use non-essential cookies. You can change your preferences at any time by:
- Using the cookie preference centre available on our website
- Adjusting your browser settings as described above
- Contacting us directly with your preferences
- Using opt-out links provided by third-party services
Impact of Disabling Cookies
Please note that disabling certain cookies may significantly affect the functionality and user experience of our platform. Essential cookies cannot be disabled as they are necessary for the platform to work properly. Disabling other cookies may result in:
- Loss of personalised settings and preferences
- Reduced functionality of interactive features
- Inability to track learning progress effectively
- Less relevant content and recommendations
- Repeated requests for information you've already provided
Cookie Retention and Expiration
Different cookies have different retention periods based on their purpose and function:
Session Cookies
These are temporary cookies that are automatically deleted when you close your browser or end your session. They are essential for maintaining your login status and session data during your visit.
Persistent Cookies
These remain on your device for a set period or until you manually delete them. The retention period varies depending on the purpose of the cookie:
- Authentication and security cookies: Up to 30 days for security purposes
- Preference and settings cookies: Up to 1 year to maintain your customisations
- Analytics and performance cookies: Up to 2 years for long-term trend analysis
- Marketing and advertising cookies: Up to 1 year for campaign effectiveness measurement
- Learning progress cookies: Duration of your programme plus 6 months for completion tracking
- Communication cookies: Up to 90 days for message delivery and support purposes
Cookie Refresh and Updates
Some cookies may be refreshed or updated during your visit to ensure they remain current and functional. This is particularly common with security and session management cookies.
Updates to This Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by:
- Posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last updated" date
- Sending email notifications to registered users for significant changes
- Displaying prominent notices on our platform when you next visit
- Requesting renewed consent for new types of cookies or uses
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies and how you can control them. Your continued use of our platform after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Cookie Policy.
Contact Information
If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy, our use of cookies, or wish to exercise your rights regarding cookies, please contact us:
- Email: hello@alia.uk
- Phone: +44 203 149 2638
- Address: Flat 5, 32 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UR, UK
We will respond to all cookie-related inquiries within 48 hours during normal business days. For technical issues related to cookie management, our support team can provide guidance on browser settings and preference management.
