Return IT devices and accessories

Return all IT devices and accessories owned by Aalto no later than your last day of employment to the return location specified to you. Read the instructions for returning equipment: Return of tools

Aalto recirculates computers and phones that are in good condition internally in accordance with the university’s lifecycle management principles (computers in use for 4–5 years, phones for 3–5 years). When a device is removed from Aalto’s environment, it is sent for appropriate reuse or material recycling. Storage media in devices to be recycled are securely wiped before reuse. 

Devices to be returned include, for example: 

• Laptop and charger (before returning your laptop, remove any stickers and other markings you have added) 
• Phone and accessories (what to do before returning your phone)
• Headphones and headsets (especially higher-value models)
• Other IT accessories 

You do not need to return standard mice and keyboards. However, rarer or higher-value peripherals, such as more expensive Apple devices, must be returned. 

Also return other electronic waste to the IT Service Desk or your department’s IT staff. Electronic waste must be taken to a recycling point.

Data

Your email and files you have stored in personal work cloud storage will be deleted four (4) months after your Aalto user ID is closed. 

NOTE: As a rule, files and emails cannot be recovered. As the owner of the files, you are responsible for ensuring that any files and emails others will need after your departure are saved somewhere other than your personal work cloud storage before your Aalto user ID is closed. 

IT Services or the IT Service Desk do not handle data in departing employees’ personal storage areas, nor do they back up departing employees’ files. Plan well in advance what will happen to the data in your possession. 

Do not take data with you. Ensure that all work and research data remains at Aalto in the agreed storage locations. Delete unnecessary and outdated data so that others can easily continue your work. 

For more information read: Basic data storage instructions

Access rights

When your employment ends, most access rights are removed automatically. If you continue at Aalto as a student or in another role, your access rights will be updated according to your new role. However, access rights must be checked carefully, as not all rights are necessarily removed automatically when employment ends or roles change. 

Please pay particular attention to the following: 

• Manually granted access rights (such as mailing lists or separately granted system privileges) are not always removed automatically.
• Administrative or other elevated access rights must be reviewed separately, especially if you continue at Aalto in another role.
• Network drive access granted to an individual user may remain active unless removed manually.
• Memberships in Microsoft Teams teams and SharePoint sites do not always update automatically.

Before your employment ends, ensure that you do not have manually granted access rights that should be removed.

Transferring your phone subscription to your own name

When your employment at Aalto ends, you can transfer a work subscription that you have used to a private subscription. 

Read the instructions on how to transfer the phone subscription: Taking your phone number with you when leaving Aalto

Buying out a computer or phone

When employment ends, it is not possible to buy out an Aalto computer or phone for personal use. This helps prevent misuse and unnecessary process costs. 

Retired work equipment is delivered to the IT Service Desk or your unit’s IT support. This ensures secure recycling for use as spare devices or as electronic waste. Devices that are at end of life or faulty are recycled in accordance with the university’s recycling guidelines.