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General Terms and Conditions for the Use of the "HPI Alumni and Career Portal" of the Hasso Plattner Institute

Please note that this is a convenience translation from German to English.

 

1. General Provisions

1.1. The HPI Alumni and Career Portal of the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Engineering gGmbH (hereinafter referred to as "HPI") is an online platform designed to facilitate networking and support the professional placement of HPI students and alumni on the job market.

Registered companies have the opportunity to create a user profile and publish job advertisements on this online platform. Companies that have subscribed to the "Partner Package" also have the option to search for candidates in the portal’s alumni and student directory using filters (the so-called "People Search" feature).

1.2. The legal relationship between HPI and the company registering on the HPI Alumni and Career Portal (hereinafter referred to as the "Client") is governed exclusively by these General Terms and Conditions. Deviating terms, particularly the Client’s own general terms and conditions, shall only apply if they have been expressly acknowledged in writing by HPI. This applies even if the Client refers to its general terms and conditions in subsequent correspondence.

 

2. Remuneration and Duration of Publication

2.1. The amount of remuneration is determined according to the current price list plus the statutory value-added tax (see price list in the paragraph 3 below).

2.2. A job advertisement, company profile, or activation of a booked package will be published after an internal review, usually within five working days.

2.3. The duration of the publication depends on the selected product. After this period has expired, HPI is entitled, but not obliged, to delete the publication.

 

3. Products

Publications of internships, working student jobs and positions for co-founders are always free, regardless of the selected package. Publications of graduate job advertisements are always subject to a fee.

Clients can book the following products and packages for job advertisements:

  • Publication of a Single Job Advertisement:
    • Publication of internships and working student jobs (8 weeks): 0,– €
    • Publication of graduate jobs (8 weeks): 350,– €
    • Extension for an additional 8 weeks: 150,– €
  • Free Package:
    • Includes a limited company profile and the publication of internships and working student job ads for 8 weeks (within 12 months from the package booking date): 0,– €
  • Basic Package:
    • Includes a full company profile and the publication of up to 4 graduate job ads for 8 weeks (within 12 months from the package booking date): 1.500,– €
  • Partner Package:
    • Includes a full company profile, the publication of up to 15 graduate job ads for 8 weeks, and access to the alumni and student directory of the portal, or so-called "People Search" (within 12 months from the package booking date): 3.500,– €
  • Offers and Discounts:
    • HPI alumni startups receive a 50% discount on all services. HPI alumni startups must be less than 5 years old and can have up to 50 employees.
    • Small, regional startups and micro-enterprises receive a 30% discount on all services. Startups and micro-enterprises must be less than 5 years old and can have up to 50 employees.

 

3.1. Company Profiles

The limited company profile on the platform includes the company logo, industry information, contact details, and the company’s website. The profile can be added in text form and via an upload function (logo).

The full company profile additionally allows for detailed descriptions, images, and the inclusion of multiple locations and contact details. Furthermore, the clients can upload their logo and PDF files.

The company name will be displayed in the directory of the HPI Alumni and Career Portal after approval by HPI.

 

3.2. Job Advertisements

Job ads must be created using the predefined form of the HPI Alumni and Career Portal. Job ads can only be entered in text form. Uploading a logo and filling out profile information (limited or full profile) is possible.

The job ad title will be displayed on the job board of the portal for 8 weeks. After the expiration period, the ad’s details remain stored in the client’s account but will no longer be visible to candidates. Reactivating an expired job advertisement through an extension is possible.

 

3.3. Candidate Search

The candidate search allows clients to browse the profiles of students and alumni in the portal's directory using specific keywords (so-called “People Search” feature). Only the profiles of students and alumni who have selected the “Open to Work” option are visible in the directory.

Clients are permitted to view profiles and contact individuals for filling a vacant position.

Clients agree to use the search function solely for the purpose of identifying and contacting potential candidates for specific job openings within their company. Searching for or collecting candidate profiles/data beyond this purpose—particularly for general data collection without a specific job opening or for contacting candidates with the intent of passing on their data to third parties—is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate exclusion from the HPI Alumni and Career Portal.

 

4. Obligations of Clients

4.1. The client bears sole responsibility for the content and legal admissibility of the provided text and image materials. The client indemnifies HPI against any third-party claims that may arise due to violations of legal provisions, including costs for necessary legal defense. The client grants HPI all copyright usage rights, related protective rights, and other necessary rights required for executing the order. This includes, in particular, the rights to reproduction, distribution, transmission, broadcasting, public accessibility, extraction from a database, and retrieval. These rights are granted without geographical limitations in all cases.

4.2. HPI reserves the right to remove or refrain from publishing the client’s job ads and company profile, especially if the content violates laws, third-party rights, or moral standards. If unlawful content or other legal violations are the cause of removal or non-publication, the client's payment obligation remains unaffected.

4.3. The following requirements apply to the content of job ads and company profiles:

a. The client is obligated to clearly specify the type and nature of the advertised position in the job ad. In particular, they must clarify whether it is an employment relationship, a self-employed position, or an internship.

b. It is prohibited to post advertisements, as well as listings promoting participation in illegal pyramid schemes (§ 16 UWG) or the conclusion of a club or association membership.

c. The job title, job description, and required qualifications must be accurate and must not be misleading or ambiguous.

d. A link in the job ad or company profile may only direct to the client’s website. This website must meet the legal minimum requirements and, in particular, include an imprint that complies with statutory and judicially established principles.

e. The provisions of the General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG) must be observed.

f. No content unrelated to the job ad or the client’s self-description may be published.

g. HPI reserves the right to independently assess whether a job ad violates these content requirements. In such cases, HPI is entitled to remove or refrain from publishing the respective job ad.

4.4. The client is aware that content published on the internet can be indexed by search engines or other third parties, and these search engines may archive the published content. If a job ad is archived by a search engine, HPI is not responsible for it. Any requests for deletion of archived data must be directed by the client to the search engine or the respective third party.

4.5. HPI assumes no responsibility for the information posted on the HPI Alumni and Career Portal and is not obligated to store or return such information to the client. HPI is entitled to create routine backup copies of electronic data traffic and to retain copies of them.

4.6. By placing an order, the client confirms that they have acquired or have unrestricted rights to use all necessary copyrights, related rights, and other rights from the respective rights holders for the materials and data they provide for online publication. The client shall compensate HPI for any damages resulting from a violation of this provision.

4.7. If the client receives a cease-and-desist request or legal notice due to certain information or representations related to job ads or other information published on the HPI Alumni and Career Portal, or if they have already issued a cease-and-desist declaration, or if an injunction, court ruling, or other official or regulatory decision has been issued, the client is obligated to inform HPI immediately in writing. If the client fails to do so, HPI is released from liability in this regard. In such cases, the client shall indemnify HPI against all related third-party claims and compensate for any damages incurred by HPI.

 

5. Students and Alumni Profiles

5.1. The data of students and alumni who register on the HPI Alumni and Career Portal is strictly confidential and may only be used by the client in accordance with applicable data protection laws. The client commits to complying with all relevant data protection regulations. Students and alumni may only be specifically searched for and contacted for the purpose of candidate recruitment for concrete job vacancies. HPI reserves the right to block the client’s account and restrict access to applicant data in case of violations. Additionally, HPI reserves the right to prevent the client from contacting specific students and alumni upon their request.

5.2. HPI is not liable for the accuracy or completeness of the data and information uploaded by students and alumni. HPI does not verify the identity or the correctness of the provided information. Data entry is done solely by the respective students and alumni at their own responsibility. Furthermore, HPI does not guarantee a specific number of responses to contact requests.

5.3. Downloads—especially of files from students and alumni—are carried out at the client’s own risk. HPI assumes no liability for damages resulting from the downloading, installation, storage, or use of documents, software, or content from our website. Although HPI employs up-to-date virus scanning programs, it assumes no liability for damages or malfunctions caused by viruses or worms. This limitation of liability does not apply in cases of gross negligence, willful misconduct, or damages affecting life, body, or health.

5.4. Access to the alumni and student directory is strictly personal and permitted for the client’s own use only. The client commits to handling all stored information, particularly the personal data of students and alumni, with strict confidentiality and protecting it from access by third parties. Under no circumstances may the stored information be shared with third parties.

5.5. While the HPI Alumni and Career Portal technically facilitates contact between students and alumni on the one hand and the client on the other, the success of this contact—particularly the availability of students and alumni through this platform—is not part of HPI’s service obligations. Any subsequent application process is not covered by this agreement but remains solely between the relevant parties, namely the client and the students and alumni.

 

6. Software

6.1. As part of the user agreement, no transfer of ownership or usage rights, nor the granting of licenses or other rights to the software of the HPI Alumni and Career Portal, takes place for the client. HPI reserves all rights to the software used, including trademarks, titles, copyrights, and industrial property rights. These remain fully with HPI.

6.2. The client grants HPI the database rights to the job ads and company profiles to be published.

 

7. Liability

7.1. HPI will operate the HPI Alumni and Career Portal and the associated technical infrastructure with the best knowledge and care, according to its usual diligence and based on the current state of science and technology known to it. HPI does not guarantee that a specific result will be achieved. In particular, HPI does not guarantee that a specific job ad will generate interest from applicants, that a certain number of interested candidates will apply for a job offer, or that a certain number of applicants will be listed in the HPI Alumni and Career Portal.

7.2. HPI guarantees the implementation of services to be provided by HPI in accordance with usual technical standards.

7.3. No exclusivity in competition will be granted.

7.4. The rights of the client under the contract are non-transferable and non-assignable. The transfer of the contract to third parties requires the consent of HPI.

7.5. The client agrees to provide HPI with all documents and information in a timely manner that are necessary and appropriate for achieving the objectives described in the contract. In particular, the client will remove job ads or information that are no longer up to date. If these requirements are not met in a timely manner, any deadlines for the provision of services by HPI will be extended accordingly.

7.6. HPI is entitled to use agents to fulfill its obligations under the usage agreement.

7.7. The client is responsible for exercising the utmost care when using IDs, passwords, usernames, or other security devices provided in connection with HPI's services. The client must take all necessary measures to ensure the confidential and secure handling of data and prevent its disclosure to third parties. The client is also responsible for the use of their passwords or usernames by third parties and will be held accountable if they cannot demonstrate that the access to such data was not due to their own fault or negligence. The client must immediately inform HPI of any possible or already known unauthorized use of their access data.

7.8. If the client processes personal data, the client must ensure, through appropriate agreements with their employees or organizational measures, that the provisions of the Federal Data Protection Act, the GDPR, the applicable state data protection laws, and any applicable special data protection regulations are complied with. HPI is entitled to store personal data of the client's employees and may process it within the scope of the contractual purpose.

7.9. HPI is only liable for property and financial damages caused by intent or gross negligence.

7.10. In the event of a breach of essential contractual obligations, HPI is liable for both intent and negligence. In the case of simple negligence, the liability is limited to foreseeable, contract-typical, and direct damages. Essential contractual obligations are those duties that protect the fundamental legal positions of the contracting parties, which must be granted to them according to the content and purpose of the contract. Also essential are those contractual obligations whose fulfillment is necessary for the proper execution of the contract and on whose compliance the contracting parties could regularly rely.

7.11. The above liability limitations/exclusions do not apply to claims under the Act on Liability for Defective Products, for fraudulent conduct, for liability for guaranteed quality characteristics, and for violations of life, body, or health.

 

8. Confidentiality

8.1. The parties agree to keep all information marked as "confidential" that they receive from the other party under this contract confidential. This obligation also applies for five years after the termination of the contract.

8.2. The confidentiality obligation regarding the aforementioned data of students and alumni applies regardless of separate labeling and is indefinite in duration.

8.3. The above confidentiality obligation does not apply if and to the extent that the relevant information:

  • is generally known,
  • becomes generally known without fault of the affected contracting party,
  • has been or will be lawfully obtained from a third party,
  • is already in possession of the affected contracting party,
  • has been or will be independently developed by the receiving contracting party without the disclosure, or
  • must be disclosed due to legal or regulatory/judicial order.

9. Duration

The duration of the usage contract is indefinite. It can be terminated by either party at any time. The booking of the packages is for a period of 12 months each. It will automatically end unless extended.

 

10. Final Provisions

10.1. If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is or becomes invalid, this shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions or the contract as a whole. The invalid provision shall be retroactively replaced by a legally permissible provision that comes closest to the original provision in terms of its content. The same applies to any existing contractual gaps.

10.2. Amendments and additions to the contract must be made in writing. This written form requirement can only be waived in writing.

10.3. The place of jurisdiction is Potsdam. German law applies.

 

Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering gGmbH
Prof.-Dr.-Helmert-Str. 2-3
D-14482 Potsdam
www.hpi.de

 

Status: December 2024