Privacy Policy & Terms of Use

Introduction

Welcome to the Entrepreneurship and Social Research Centre (ESRC) Cameroon Learning Platform. This Privacy Policy and Terms of Use document governs your access to and use of our website, online courses, research resources, and related services. By using our platform, you agree to the terms outlined herein. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring a safe, productive learning environment for all users.

ESRC Cameroon is a research and capacity building institution headquartered in Cameroon, dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship education, social research, and sustainable development across Africa. Our platform serves learners, researchers, instructors, and partners across the continent and beyond.

Privacy Policy — Information We Collect

When you register or use our platform, we may collect the following types of information:

• •Personal Identification: Full name, email address, phone number, country, city, and profile photo.
• •Account Credentials: Hashed passwords and authentication tokens. We never store plain-text passwords.
• •Learning Activity: Course enrollments, lesson completions, quiz results, assignment submissions, and certificates earned.
• •Payment Information: Transaction references from mobile money providers (MTN MoMo, Orange Money) and card processors. We do not store full card numbers.
• •Communications: Messages sent through our platform, forum posts, course reviews, and support requests.
• •Technical Data: IP addresses, browser type, device type, and usage logs collected automatically via cookies and similar technologies.

Use of Information

ESRC Cameroon uses the information we collect for the following purposes:

• •To create and manage your user account and authenticate your identity.
• •To deliver online courses, track learning progress, and issue certificates of completion.
• •To process payments and verify transactions through supported payment providers.
• •To communicate important platform updates, course announcements, and administrative notices.
• •To personalize your learning experience and recommend relevant courses and resources.
• •To analyze platform usage patterns and improve our services, content quality, and user experience.
• •To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal obligations in Cameroon and applicable international frameworks.

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

Data Protection

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include:

• •Encryption of data in transit using TLS/HTTPS protocols.
• •Secure hashing of passwords using industry-standard algorithms (bcrypt).
• •Access controls limiting data access to authorized personnel only.
• •Regular security assessments and infrastructure monitoring.

While we strive to protect your personal data, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for any activities that occur under your account.

You have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal data. To exercise these rights, please contact us at info@esrccameroon.org.

Cookies

Our platform uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience, remember your preferences, and analyze site traffic. Cookies are small text files stored on your device.

We use the following types of cookies:

• •Essential Cookies: Required for the platform to function correctly (authentication sessions, security tokens).
• •Preference Cookies: Remember your language preference (English/French) and display settings.
• •Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with the platform to improve content and performance.

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling essential cookies may affect the functionality of the platform.

Terms of Use

By accessing and using the ESRC Cameroon Learning Platform, you agree to comply with these Terms of Use. These terms apply to all users, including learners, instructors, researchers, and administrators.

To access certain features, you must register for an account. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and to update your information as necessary to keep it accurate. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account password and for all activities that occur under your account.

Enrollment in paid courses requires payment of the applicable fees through our supported payment methods. Fees are non-refundable unless otherwise stated in the specific course terms. ESRC Cameroon reserves the right to modify course fees with reasonable notice.

User Content

Users may submit content to the platform including forum posts, course reviews, research submissions, and profile information ("User Content"). By submitting User Content, you grant ESRC Cameroon a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, modify, and display such content in connection with the platform and our educational mission.

You represent and warrant that: (a) you own or have the right to submit the User Content; (b) the User Content does not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights; and (c) the User Content does not violate any applicable law or these Terms.

ESRC Cameroon reserves the right to remove any User Content that violates these Terms or that we deem inappropriate, without prior notice.

Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to engage in any of the following activities:

• •Sharing your account credentials with others or creating multiple accounts to circumvent access restrictions.
• •Downloading, copying, or distributing course materials without explicit written permission from ESRC Cameroon.
• •Submitting false, misleading, or fraudulent information in registrations, payments, or user profiles.
• •Posting hateful, discriminatory, abusive, or sexually explicit content in any platform communication.
• •Attempting to gain unauthorized access to any part of the platform, other user accounts, or our backend systems.
• •Using automated tools (bots, scrapers) to extract content or data from the platform without permission.
• •Engaging in any activity that disrupts or interferes with the normal operation of the platform.
• •Impersonating ESRC Cameroon staff, instructors, or other users.

Violation of these prohibitions may result in immediate account suspension or termination, without refund, and may be reported to relevant authorities where applicable law requires.

Intellectual Property

All content on the ESRC Cameroon Learning Platform — including but not limited to course videos, lecture notes, research publications, assessments, graphics, logos, and software — is the intellectual property of ESRC Cameroon or its content contributors, and is protected by applicable copyright, trademark, and intellectual property laws.

Enrollment in a course grants you a limited, personal, non-transferable license to access and use the course materials for your own educational purposes only. You may not reproduce, distribute, display, perform, create derivative works from, or commercially exploit any platform content without our prior written consent.

The ESRC Cameroon name, logo, and associated marks are trademarks of the Entrepreneurship and Social Research Centre. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited.

Disclaimers

The ESRC Cameroon Learning Platform and all content thereon are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. ESRC Cameroon does not warrant that:

• •The platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components.
• •The results obtained from using the platform will be accurate or reliable.
• •The quality of any courses, information, or other material accessed through the platform will meet your expectations.

Course content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be construed as professional legal, financial, medical, or business advice. Always seek qualified professional guidance for specific decisions.

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, ESRC Cameroon and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and partners shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to your use of the platform, including but not limited to:

• •Loss of data, profits, goodwill, or business opportunities.
• •Errors or omissions in platform content.
• •Unauthorized access to your account or personal data resulting from your failure to maintain account security.
• •Service interruptions or technical failures beyond our reasonable control.

In jurisdictions that do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, our liability shall be limited to the fullest extent permitted by law. Our total aggregate liability shall not exceed the amount paid by you to ESRC Cameroon in the twelve (12) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim.

Third-Party Links

The ESRC Cameroon platform may contain links to third-party websites, resources, or services for informational and educational purposes. These links are provided as a convenience and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by ESRC Cameroon. We have no control over the content, privacy practices, or terms of third-party websites.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies and terms of any third-party websites you visit. ESRC Cameroon shall not be responsible or liable for any loss or damage arising from your use of or reliance on third-party content or services.

Changes to This Policy

ESRC Cameroon reserves the right to modify this Privacy Policy and Terms of Use at any time. When we make material changes, we will notify registered users via email and by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Your continued use of the platform following the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms. If you do not agree with the updated terms, you should discontinue use of the platform and may request account deletion by contacting us.

This policy is governed by the laws of Cameroon. Any disputes arising under these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts of Cameroon.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please reach out to us through any of the following channels:

We aim to respond to all inquiries within 5 business days. Visit our Contact page for additional options.