IPC Outreach Strategic Plan DRAFT

IPC FY 2017 OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN

I. Vision

The Intellectual Property Constituency (IPC), as the voice for intellectual property in ICANN, should have a substantial and diverse membership, representative of the stakeholders IPC represents, actively helping to shape Internet/DNS policy within ICANN.

II. Mission

The Mission and Purpose of the IPC, as stated in our Bylaws, is to:

Represent the views and interests of owners of intellectual property worldwide with particular emphasis on trademark, copyright, and related intellectual property rights and their effect and interaction with Domain Name Systems (DNS), and to ensure that these views, including minority views, are reflected in the recommendations made by the GNSO Council to the ICANN Board.

More particularly, to review and raise all intellectual property matters including any proposals, issues, policies, or otherwise, which may affect intellectual property, particularly as it interfaces with the DNS, and to provide to the GNSO and the ICANN Board timely and expert advice before it must make any decision or take any position thereon.

Our membership consists of intellectual property and IP-related organizations, companies, law firms and individuals.  We represent the interests and concerns of IP creators, owners, licensees and distributors, as well as those of consumers, who depend on strong IP protections as an essential element of consumer confidence, consumer trust and consumer protection.

In order to fulfill our mission, IPC needs robust and sustained participation from the Intellectual Property community from all over the world.  The IPC should strive for its membership to be representative of the diversity in the IP community -- geographically, professionally, and culturally -- while satisfying the membership criteria for IPC.  In order to attract a broad base of membership, the IPC needs to engage with the IP community (broadly defined) so that the community is aware of us, our role in developing Internet policy, and the importance of membership in the IPC. 

The mission of the IPC in this Strategic Plan is to improve the IPC’s outreach and engagement, especially in areas where the IPC has historically been underrepresented, in order to attract additional active members, to ensure that the IPC remains highly connected to the IP world, and to ensure that the IPC remains a vibrant organization.

III. Goals and Objectives

Increasing IPC membership, increasing awareness of the IPC and improving member participation are the primary goals of this IPC Outreach & Engagement Strategic Plan.  Building on our outreach and engagement program will result in additional organizational, institutional and individual members, broader and more diverse global participation in the IPC, and more extensive and richer participation by the IPC within ICANN.  In so doing, the IPC will continue to add additional voices to the Constituency and the greater ICANN community, and strengthen the overall voice of the IPC.

A.    General Goals and Objectives

1. Increase number of active participants by 10% in the coming year
2. Increase the geographic regions represented
3. Increase the types of entities involved
   1. Individuals - Students (legal or otherwise), attorneys, teachers and/or professors
   2. Corporate and Law Firm members
   3. Organizations -- Professional and trade associations
4. Improve engagement with existing members

B.    Specific Goals and Objectives

1.    Improving Geographic Diversity

a.    Currently, IPC has a relatively high concentration in North America and Europe, some active members from Latin America and Asia, and only a single member from Africa

b.    Prioritize areas where we are underdeveloped

c.    Improve representation from under-represented and unrepresented countries and regions

2.    Increasing Size Overall

a.    We represent the IP community well indirectly through our organizational members

b.    However, given the size of the IP world, our direct membership could easily be larger.

3.    Targeting Specific Demographics

a.    IPC should identify under-represented and unrepresented types of members.

i.    Target the “younger generation”

1.    Younger professionals are underrepresented

2.    No representation whatsoever at student level

3.    These are the future leaders in IP and in the IPC

ii.    Identify organizations that aren’t members that should be

iii.    Identify corporations that aren’t members that should be

iv.    Target academics

4.    Remove or Lower Barriers to Participation

a.    Make participation easier worldwide, regardless of time zone or language

5.    Improve Engagement

a.    Provide easier access to knowledge

b.    Demystify ICANN, IPC, DNS and Internet Governance

c.    Provide more guidance and support to newcomers

d.    Re-engage existing but inactive members