Cookies
Our website uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of our website. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and also allows us to improve our site.
A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers that we store on your browser or the hard drive of your computer if you agree. Cookies contain information that is transferred to your computer’s hard drive.
We use the following cookies:
- Strictly necessary cookies. These are cookies that are required for the operation of our website. They include, for example, the session cookies that allow you to browse from one page to the next when you are logged in to an area of the site, such as the TOPS and MAAUG resources, or to manage secure logins (i.e. when a candidate logs-in to the Candidate Zone or uses the Job Application form) and they are also used to maintain application state.
- Analytical/performance cookies. They allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors and to see how visitors move around our website when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our website works, for example by establishing popular pages and bringing them to the surface so they are easier to find.
- Functionality cookies. These are used to recognise you when you return to our website. This enables us to personalise our content for you, greet you by name and remember your preferences, for example that you have chosen to accept our cookies and allow them to run.
| Cookie | Name | Description | Purpose | Category | Expiry | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google analytics | __utma | This cookie is typically written to the browser upon the first visit to your site from that web browser. If the cookie has been deleted by the browser operator, and the browser subsequently visits your site, a new __utma cookie is written with a different unique ID. In most cases, this cookie is used to determine unique visitors to your site and it is updated with each page view. Additionally, this cookie is provided with a unique ID that Google Analytics uses to ensure both the validity and accessibility of the cookie as an extra security measure. | The purpose of this cookie is to gather information regarding the quantity of visitors to the site, and the behaviour of users once on the site. This enables us to assess the performance of the site and make improvements. | Analytical/performance cookies | 2 years from set/update | https://developers.google.com/analytics/resources/concepts/gaConceptsCookies |
| Google analytics | __utmb | This cookie is used to establish and continue a user session with your site. When a user views a page on your site, the Google Analytics code attempts to update this cookie. If it does not find the cookie, a new one is written and a new session is established. Each time a user visits a different page on your site, this cookie is updated to expire in 30 minutes, thus continuing a single session for as long as user activity continues within 30-minute intervals. This cookie expires when a user pauses on a page on your site for longer than 30 minutes. You can modify the default length of a user session with the _setSessionCookieTimeout() method. | The purpose of this cookie is to gather information regarding the quantity of visitors to the site, and the behaviour of users once on the site. This enables us to assess the performance of the site and make improvements. | Analytical/performance cookies | 30 minutes from set/update. | https://developers.google.com/analytics/resources/concepts/gaConceptsCookies |
| Google analytics | __utmc | This cookie is no longer used by the ga.js tracking code to determine session status. Historically, this cookie operated in conjunction with the __utmb cookie to determine whether or not to establish a new session for the user. For backwards compatibility purposes with sites still using the urchin.js tracking code, this cookie will continue to be written and will expire when the user exits the browser. | This cookie is no longer used. | Analytical/ performance cookies | End of session | https://developers.google.com/analytics/resources/concepts/gaConceptsCookies |
| Google analytics | __utmz | This cookie stores the type of referral used by the visitor to reach your site, whether via a direct method, a referring link, a website search, or a campaign such as an ad or an email link. It is used to calculate search engine traffic, ad campaigns and page navigation within your own site. The cookie is updated with each page view to your site. | The purpose of this cookie is to gather data about where visitors to the site have heard about us. It allows us to track the success of our marketing and advertising. | Analytical/ performance cookies | 6 months from set/update. | https://developers.google.com/analytics/resources/concepts/gaConceptsCookies |
| JOIN | is_authed, ASPXAUTH, ASP.NET_SessionId | These cookies store temporary information to enable site functionality. They are automatically deleted when you close your browser. | This cookie is integral to the functionality of the site as it allows the site to manage your security and log in status. | Strictly necessary cookies | End of session |
You can find more information about the individual cookies we use and the purposes for which we use them in this table.
Please note that third parties (including, for example, advertising networks and providers of external services like web traffic analysis services) may also use cookies, over which we have no control. These cookies are likely to be analytical/performance cookies or targeting cookies.
You block cookies by activating the setting on your browser that allows you to refuse the setting of all or some cookies. However, if you use your browser settings to block all cookies (including essential cookies) you may not be able to access all or parts of our site.