Get Involved

The purpose of the Rural Exchange 

The Rural Exchange is a platform for people living and working in Scotland’s rural and island communities to have their voices heard both in research and policymaking and to access important research reports and data.  Find out more here 
As part of the Exchange, we are looking to gather views about various topics through short surveys and our “Get Involved” page.  Before you do this, we need to tell you a little more about how we keep your data safe. 

Do I have to take part in these surveys or tell us about your insights? 

No, you do not have to take part in any of our surveys or provide us with your insights, participation is voluntary. We will not ask for your contact details in our surveys however our Get Involved page asks for this information so we can respond to you.  If you would like to provide us with further information or ask any questions, please fill in the online contact form or email ruralexchange@sruc.ac.uk and we will get back to you via email.   

What are the implications of providing my views? 

Providing your views through the Rural Exchange is a way for your voice to be heard in research. Much of our research work is undertaken for the Scottish Government so your views will be part of the evidence base which is directly informing policy. There are no known negative impacts of participation, and you are free to withdraw your data (if you are identifiable) at any point prior to analysis. Please get in touch using the details below. 

What happens after you have provided your views? 

Data collected on the Rural Exchange may form part of the evidence, which is published in blogs, reports, and possibly academic journals.  All information will be anonymised and any identifying information will be removed.   

Will my data be kept confidential?  

All the information you give will be anonymised and identifying features removed so that those reading publications will not know who has contributed to it. In most cases your data will not be shared with others and will be analysed by SRUC team members.  In a small number of cases, we may partner with external organisations to gather data through our micro surveys.  When this is the case a statement detailing who the data will be shared with will be on the front page of the survey with a consent check box. All information retained by SRUC will be saved and stored securely on password-protected computers for 5 years in accordance with The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018. This has been approved by SRUC Ethics Committee.  

How to get in touch? 

If you would like to talk to a researcher in more detail about a specific survey or provide your insights on other issues affecting rural and island communities, please fill in the online contact form or email ruralexchange@sruc.ac.uk.  The data controller for SRUC can be contacted at dpo@sruc.ac.uk.