Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using UniChat ("the Platform"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. The Platform is provided by UniStart Ltd ("we", "our", "us") and is designed for use by higher education institutions for dissertation supervision purposes.

If you are using the Platform on behalf of an institution, you represent that you have the authority to bind that institution to these terms.

2. Description of Service

UniChat provides a structured platform for dissertation supervision that includes:

• Official communication channels between supervisors and students
• Version-controlled document management with review workflows
• Meeting scheduling, records, and agenda management
• Immutable audit trails for institutional compliance and quality assurance
• Role-based access control (Student, Professor, Administrator)
• Multi-tenant architecture ensuring institutional data isolation

3. User Accounts

Access to UniChat is by institutional invitation only. Users are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of their login credentials
• Using a password of at least 12 characters with uppercase letters and numbers
• All activities that occur under their account
• Notifying their institution immediately of any unauthorised use

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms or pose a security risk.

4. Acceptable Use

You agree to use the Platform only for its intended purpose of dissertation supervision. You shall not:

• Upload malicious files, viruses, or harmful content
• Attempt to access data belonging to other institutions or users
• Circumvent or disable security features, including Row-Level Security policies
• Use the Platform for any unlawful purpose
• Share your account credentials with others
• Interfere with the operation of the Platform or its infrastructure

5. Intellectual Property

The UniChat platform, including its design, code, and branding, is the intellectual property of UniStart Ltd.

Content uploaded by users (documents, messages, comments) remains the intellectual property of the uploading user or their institution, subject to the institution's own policies regarding student and academic work.

6. Data and Security

We implement institutional-grade security measures including:

• End-to-end encryption for data in transit
• Row-Level Security ensuring multi-tenant data isolation
• Append-only audit events that cannot be modified or deleted
• SHA-256 hashed invitation tokens with automatic expiry
• Regular security assessments and updates

For full details on data handling, see our Privacy Policy.

7. Audit Trail

UniChat maintains an immutable audit trail of all significant platform activities. This trail:

• Cannot be modified or deleted by any user, including administrators
• Records document uploads, reviews, messages, meetings, and status changes
• Is available to authorised users within the relevant dissertation space
• Serves as the institutional record for quality assurance and dispute resolution

8. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, UniStart Ltd shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Platform.

We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation of the Platform, though we strive for high availability and reliability.

9. Changes to Terms

We may update these terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated to institutional administrators, who are responsible for informing their users. Continued use of the Platform constitutes acceptance of updated terms.

10. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

11. Contact

For questions about these terms:

UniStart Ltd
Email: legal@unistart.co.uk