About VEN

VEN was set up in 2001/2002 to provide standards, governance and management over an educational environment. All schools which joined VEN were able to take advantage of the services that had been created for the members.

All of the VEN directors are representatives of educational institutions and ensure the company is managed in a way which reflects the needs and desires of the main users (who can only be NZ schools or educational institutions). Collaboration, communication and community are key drivers of VEN.

As such VEN is unique:

• Effectively a Board of Trustees (governance) through continually developing the policies surrounding the environment.
• Once a member of VEN schools are able to access services such as SchoolZone
• A user group (supporting members) endeavoring to meet the users expressed needs.
• VEN negotiates with the service providers and interested stakeholders on behalf of the users eg Telecom and the MoE (remember VEN is not part of nor affiliated to either but does have an excellent working relationship with both).
• Keeping a watchful eye over and working with users and educational service providers to enhance the environment.
• Responding to users who have difficulties and problem solving with them.
• Maintaining a political presence to ensure continued government support, research and development.
• The national body in NZ overseeing the SchoolZone filter list - to block or unblock sites suggested by the users
• Monitoring the environment to ensure policies are followed by members/users and providers.

In the future VEN will continue to develop a creative, collaborative and sharing environment where schools are able to work cooperatively with others of like interest. We will continue to liaise closely with the Ministry of Education and all interested stakeholders.

If you have suggestions as to the directions that VEN should be taking then please email them to:

peter.hills@virtualeducation.net.nz