Born in 1951 in the North of the Netherlands, after junior vocational education, he followed vocational studies of electrical engineering and process technology. Afterwards, trained as teacher for subjects related to electrical engineering, he started in 1974, to teach in a school for junior vocational education. Later, he upgraded his training as a teacher for science (physics and chemistry). During his job as a teacher in subjects related to electrical engineering and technology, he started a master program at the State University of Groningen and he obtained his master degree in educational science and pedagogy.  In 1982, he was employed in the Netherlands National Institute for Curriculum Development –SLO as technology curriculum developer.  Jenne van der Velde has had several responsibilities and functions in SLO, (e.g. Head of the Department of “Veldadvisering”, Communication, Facilities, etc.) and he has worked on several fields such as human rights, minorities, school development, school management and school-based curriculum development. Since 2005, he is the coordinator of International Affairs of SLO. While working in SLO, he gained in 1989, a Fulbright award and had the opportunity to benefit from a study visit in the USA. He also accomplished  post-university courses (e.g. Management consultancy, Change management, Personal management skills and Mediation) and carried out international projects in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, FyRom, Albania and Russia.  Currently, he is working in a project for school-based curriculum development in China.  He is also Honorary member of VEDOtech (Technology Teacher Association and contact-person for CIDREE (Consortium of Institutes for development and research in education in Europe).