FAQ & Contact
Frequently Asked Questions & Contact
What’s acculturation and why is it important?
Acculturation refers to the psychological and social changes that occur when people come into prolonged contact with another culture. This process shapes a person’s identity, motivation, and way of thinking. Studying acculturation is essential for understanding young people from diverse backgrounds, rather than relying solely on normative perspectives. Moreover, this knowledge helps us recognize that integration is not just about the explicit “willingness” to integrate but also involves deep psychological processes that influence how individuals adapt and relate to their surroundings.
Which data do we collect and how do we save personal data?
We only collect personal data necessary for the research, such as age, gender, study program, and information about the birthplaces of yourself, your parents, and grandparents. Additionally, we gather information about well-being and school experiences.
In our initial cross-cultural study, we will not ask for names, making it impossible to link your results to your identity afterward.
In some studies, we may ask for your email address to contact you for follow-up research and track your results over time.
All data is processed anonymously whenever possible and is always securely stored in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and European and Belgian privacy laws. All data is retained for 10 years on a secure KU Leuven server before being permanently deleted.
Who can(‘t) get access to the data and how can we guarantee anonymity?
All data collected is immediately anonymized where possible, meaning that even the researchers cannot figure out which answers belong to which person.
Access to the data is restricted to the research team under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Jozefien De Leersnyder. Parents, teachers, schools, government agencies, and other external organizations do not have access to individual data.
Can students withdraw from participation at any time?
Yes, participation in the research is completely voluntary. This means that no one is required to take part, and students can stop their participation at any time and for any reason. If a student prefers not to answer certain questions, they can simply skip them. Those who do not wish to participate at all will, in consultation with the teacher, be given an alternative meaningful task or assignment. The teacher will not be present during the research, and afterward, no one will be able to determine whether a student has participated or not.
Haven’t found an answer to your questions yet? Complete the form and we will contact you.
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Prof. Dr. Jozefien De Leersnyder – Principal Investigator
Tiensestraat 102, 3000 Leuven
+32 016 37 23 16
jozefien.deleersnyder@kuleuven.be
Daria-Maria Popa – Project coordinator
Tiensestraat 102, 3000 Leuven
+32 016 32 79 38
daria-maria.popa@kuleuven.be
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