Terms of Use

Our business model:  A robust and sustainable business based on distributed content development.

IVIMEDS uses a distributed content development process with member schools.  Working with the IVIMEDS core team, IVIMEDS takes responsibility for developing the software an infrastructure required my member schools.  The IVIMEDS core team develops the instructional design, the learning system architecture and systems, provides content development protocols to the partner schools and provides project management services. The distributed content development process actively involves partner schools, benefiting from the expertise they can provide, while retaining common standards, efficient deployment and quality assurance.  Member schools are involved in all stages of development and provide frequent feedback.

IVIMEDS operates a content licensing model. Contributors of content will license IVIMEDS to use, reconfigure and re-use their content. Users agree to  pay an annual subscription for the right to access and use the products and services. Total revenues accruing to IVIMEDS are expected to be sufficient to cover the operating costs and on-going development costs of IVIMEDS and over time to permit a reduction in the subscription rate paid by the members.

The initial development costs are met from a combination of founder members’ subscriptions, grants from government agencies and other sources of grant funding. Funding has been provided by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC), the Department of Health (England), the Health Department (Scotland), NHS Education Scotland and Scottish Enterprise.