NIHR Learn Cookie Policy

Content last updated:  16  September 2025. 

What is a cookie?

A cookie is a small text file that is downloaded onto your device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) when you visit our website. It allows us to recognise your device and store some information about your visit or past actions.

Why do we ask to put cookies on your device?

By aggregating data from all our website visitors, we can better understand what content our visitors find useful and what content needs to be improved. By allowing cookies onto your device you are helping us continually improve the NIHR Learn system for everyone.

What types of cookies do we use?

• Strictly Necessary (Functional) cookies - these are needed to make the website work.

• Additional (optional) cookies, including performance cookies, to give us insight into how people use our content and help us improve it.

Do you collect and can you see my personal data?

No. We don’t collect, store, or process any personally identifiable information such as your name or address, so this information cannot be used to identify who you are. We only see anonymised, aggregated data. But they will use your computer's IP address to determine your approximate geographical location (so we can understand where in the world users are located).

The data stored in Google Analytics is anonymous and we do not allow Google Analytics to share the data about how you use NIHR Learn.

Which websites are covered by this policy?

The NIHR Learn: https://learn.nihr.ac.uk 

Cookies we use in NIHR Learn: what they do and how long they stay on your device

More information is available on the specific use of cookies below.

Essential Cookies

• • _shibsession_64656661756c7463706d732e6e6968722e61632e756b

    • Purpose: Used to allow the user to remain logged in across sessions.  When a user navigates away from the site and then comes back this cookie is used to log in in place of username/password.

    • Expiration: Session

  • MoodleSession

    • Purpose: Keeps you logged into the Moodle Session

    • Expiration: Session

Additional Cookies

• • _gid 

    • Purpose: This cookie name is associated with Google Analytics. It stores and update a unique value for each page visited.

    • Expiration: 0 days

  • _ga 

    • Purpose: This cookie name is associated with Google Universal Analytics and is used to distinguish unique users by assigning a randomly generated number as a client identifier which cannot be used to see personal data. It is included in each page request on the site and used to calculate visitor, session and campaign data for the site's analytics reports.

    • Expiration:  400 days

  • _ga_4ZLHCFGQ4X

    • Purpose: This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors.

    • Expiration: 400 days

  • _gat

    • Purpose: This is a pattern type cookie set by Google Analytics, where the pattern element on the name contains the unique identity number of the account or website it relates to. It appears to be a variation of the _gat cookie which is used to limit the amount of data recorded by Google on high traffic volume websites.

    • Expiration: 0 days

Further information about cookies

Most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings. To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

Find out how to manage cookies on popular browsers:

• Google Chrome

• Microsoft Edge

• Mozilla Firefox

• Microsoft Internet Explorer

• Opera

• Apple Safari

To find information relating to other browsers, visit the browser developer's website.

To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites, visit the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.