IPAN: improving IP awareness in the UK

• Author: Ruth Soetendorp
• Position: Chair of the Intellectual Property Awareness Network and of IPAN's Education Group
• Pages: 26-29

p. 26 2014 | 6

I PA N:

improving IP awareness and

understanding in the UK

By Professor Ruth Soetendor p, Chair of the Intellec tual Propert y

Awareness Netw ork and of IPAN’s Educat ion Group

The Intellectual Proper ty Awareness Network (IPAN) is a unique,

independent networ k of organizations and indiv iduals commit-

ted to improving awareness and understanding of intellectual

property (IP) and its im pact on business in the UK . Members

include a wide range of commercial, nancial, professional

and academic organiz ations, all with a shared enthusi asm for

IP and a passionate belief in its c ritical role in the developing

“knowledge” economy.

IPAN seeks to strengthen understandin g of IP to improve the

functioning of the knowled ge market. Drawing on the experi-

ence of its members whic h spans a broad range of sectors, the

Network offers a uniq ue source of IP intelligence. No other group

in the UK brings together such a wi de range of IP champions.

IPAN is not a lobbying organization and doe s not represent the

view of any particular se ctor. It sees itself as an independent

thought leader, ready to ask the questions other insti tutions may

not be in a position to address or may see k to avoid.

WORKING GROUPS ON EDUCATION, PARLIAMENT

AND FINANCE AND ECONOMICS

The Network’s activities are orga nized around three working

groups : on education, parliament, and nance and e conomics.

The Parliamentar y Group seeks to ensure that IPAN’s voice is

known to parliamentari ans and businesses a s an unbiased

authoritative IP resource. It co- ordinates the Network’s range of

short brieng do cuments that provide a balance d introduction

(primarily for the benet of parliamentarians and policy makers)

to a range of topical IP issues. These ev idence-based Issue

Briefs, (available at www.ipawar e.net) are written by exp erts

from the IPAN community and are des igned to inform and aid

basic understanding of is sues. They offer snapshots of impor tant

and often complex IP issue s and provide external references for

further readin g or research.

IPAN’s important work is recognized at the highe st levels of

UK government. In a message to IPAN’s fourth World IP Day

celebration in April 2014, UK Prime Minister, David Cameron,

said, “The inventive spirit is h ard-wired into us. Finding easier

and better ways of living lives and do ing business is at the heart

of everything we do – and at th e very heart of our e conomic

success. That’s why it matters that UK bus inesses, inventors

and creators benet from a worl d class environment for creating

and using IP”.

Members of the IPAN Bo ard and Yoshiyu ki Takagi, W IPO Assist ant

Director Gene ral, at IPAN’s World IP Day ev ent in April 2014.

Photo: IPAN