The Intellectual Property Awareness Network (IPAN) is a non-profit, inclusive membership organisation, committed to championing the importance and understanding of intellectual property (IP) of large and small businesses.
To recognise her achievements and to provide ongoing support, the IPAN Board unanimously agrees to grant Subina Shami individual membership status.
IPAN membership embraces commercial, financial, professional, and academic organisations, as well as individuals, all with a shared enthusiasm for IP and its key role in the developing “knowledge” economy and its value to society. It includes those who use IP or depend on it in their business or profession, as well as IP educators, IP experts and economists, forming a unique, independent think-tank on IP awareness matters.
Intellectual property (IP) – patents, trademarks, designs, copyright, and similar legal rights, together with associated know-how – are increasingly important commercial assets for most businesses, whether based on brands, technology, or the creative arts. Better basic knowledge and understanding of the value and use of IP in commerce and industry can improve business performance. This is particularly the case for start-ups, micro-businesses, and SMEs.
IPAN activities and outputs include:
- Quarterly Meetings: where members can discuss contemporary IP subjects on a general level after a talk by an invited expert at the London meetings.
- World IP Day Event: organised yearly as a Westminster event for parliamentarians and IP opinion leaders celebrating World IP Day.
- Special Interest Groups: where three separate groups work on IP awareness approaches and research directed to the business, finance and economics, parliamentary and higher education sectors, respectively.
- IPAN IP Topic Briefs: are impartial, evidence-based primers that are produced by experts and aim to help understanding of current IP related issues.
- Research: conducted mainly by partners in IP educational and economic research but on occasion, IPAN initiates its own research. A recent project has looked at the way ownership of student IP rights is handled in UK Universities and Colleges.
