PROJECT title

Lot:2. Reaching to younger generation and citizen

Project title:Legal Protection of Intellectual Property: Who Needs It? Why?
Acronym:LPIP

PROJECT Summary

University students are basic “consumers” of IP: they spend their time in Internet, in libraries, they create IP objects in University labs, and they are the authors of poems, essays, short stories, even plays and musicals to be performed by University theatres.
Do they know what the legal protection of the IP objects is? And what does the notion of IP mean? Are there sanctions for IP infringement? What are the sanctions?
The general objective of the project run by the Association for legal aid for consumers from Plovdiv, Bulgaria together with the biggest University in the Southern part of Bulgaria, Plovdiv University, is to change the student’s behavior towards IP objects by raising their awareness about the value of original products in order to respect their own creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Plovdiv University (PU) comprises nine faculties situated in Plovdiv and 3 filial in other towns in southern Bulgaria – Smolyan and Kurdzhali with appr. 20 000 full time and part time students enrolled in the beginning of the 2017/2018 academic year. Students from all faculties and branches should learn the risks associated with counterfeiting and piracy, since they bring security risks for consumers. It is important for them to know how to reap financial benefits of their intellectual potential, especially in the IT sector, but also in engineering. The project will have as its target group all the students from different faculties.
The specific objectives (SO) of the project are the following:
SO1- to provide interested students with training by competent lecturers,
SO2 – to prepare study materials,
SO3 – to organize communication with creators: artists, designers, representatives of IT companies, judges involved in litigation on IP cases – as influencers and multipliers. In such way awareness activities will be held horizontally for the students throughout all planned activities.
The project will comprise two phases: during the first phase (1st month – end of the 3rd month) a textbook of about 100-120 pages will be prepared by law professors. It will include both industrial property matters and copyright. The textbook will be oriented to students who do not study law so that the notions will be explained in popular language.
A website for the project will be developed. The content of the website will include: information about events organized in the framework of the project; the text of the basic pieces of legislation in Bulgaria plus short comments and relevant case law explained. The website will be kept up to date after the end of the duration of the project by members of Association.
The second phase of the project (4th-12th months) will include two types of trainings. The first type will be the “training of trainers” seminars – organized for each of the faculties and branches according to the specifics of the different fields of studies. During these meetings between members of the team and lecturers from a given faculty the seminars for students will be prepared.
Different teams of lecturers and relevant influencers will be formed for the seminars with the students from different faculties.
The project is oriented towards the following target groups:
– students (19-30 years old) from all faculties and branches of the university;
– other students from various HEIs from Plovdiv, Smolyan and Kurdzhali Region (e.g. roommates and other youth sharing Students`city facilities)
– young people (18-30) involved in activities by the Association locally;
– youth leaders and workers from the envisaged regions.

Regarding the project impact, the initiating team foresees approximately 1200 students from the Plovdiv University to participate in the seminars. Each of the participants will receive a study book with a general overview of the legal protection of IP in Bulgaria. Students will have to fill a questionnaire before the seminar answering basic questions on IP protection and will receive another questionnaire after the seminar. In such way the effectiveness of the planned training could be judged and the real figure of participants can be obtained. The number of the young people directly reached will be about 1200. Indirectly, all students enrolled at the Plovdiv University will be reached: the link to the website of the project will appear on the Website of Plovdiv University. The latter will give access to basic legal materials and to information about the organization of seminars and other events in connection with the project.
The Association will invite also part time students to participate in the trainings. The rest of the printed books will be offered to them with an appropriate program for training. This will help to disseminate knowledge about IP among bigger number of young people between 20 and 30 years of age.
As a long term result of the project concerned faculties will introduce teaching IP in their curriculum.

detailed description of the PROJECT

4.1 Relevance and general interest of the project
Project should be consistent with objectives and expected results of the call as well as with proposed means to reach its global objective in line with the narratives provided by EUIPO in this call. Projects addressing priority issues and/or targets will have an advantage.

University students are basic “consumers” of IP: they spend their time in Internet, in libraries, they create IP objects in University labs, they are the authors of poems, essays, short stories, even plays and musicals to be performed by University theatres.
Do they know what the legal protection of the IP objects is? And what does the notion of IP mean? Are there sanctions for IP infringement? What are the sanctions?
The aim of the project to be run by the Association for legal aid for consumers from Plovdiv, Bulgaria is to change the student’s behavior towards IP objects, to raise their awareness about the value of original products, to respect their own creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Plovdiv University has gained recognition as “the leading university in Bulgaria” `(See newspaper Maritsa, June 2017). It comprises nine faculties situated in Plovdiv and 3 filial in other towns in southern Bulgaria – Smolyanand Kurdzhali. It is the largest state university in the southern part of Bulgaria with appr. 20 000 full time and part time students enrolled in the beginning of the 2017/2018 academic year.
The research activity of staff (professors, associate professors and assistant professors) and students includes different aspects of natural and social studies. The following streams are significantly active: informatics and information technologies, microbiology, laser technologies, and synthesis of new organic and non-organic materials, research over social, religious and ethnic identities. There is a special section for applied science activities at Plovdiv University and over 120 contracts are developed annually, financed by international programs, business contracts, etc. Working on these projects doctoral students and staff can follow their own steps of creation and inventiveness.
The Smolyan filial of Plovdiv University has been winning recognition as a prestigious educational and scientific centre offering bachelors degree programs in Mathematics and Computer Science, Ecology, Marketing, etc for the 800 students enrolled in it. There is also another educational facility in the town of Smolyan, namely the Technical college, where students are trained in the following specialties: Mechanical Engineering, AutomativeEngeneering, Computer and Communication Systems; Electrical Equipment, Telematics.
The branch of Plovdiv University in the town of Kardzali prepares over 800 students annually in five fields, namely biological sciences, tourism, pedagogy, languages.
The nine faculties of Plovdiv University situated in the city of Plovdiv are:
– Faculty of Biology
– Faculty of Economics and Social Studies
– Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics
– Faculty of Physics
– Faculty of Pedagogy
– Faculty of History and Philosophy
– Faculty of Chemistry
– Faculty of Philology
– Law Faculty
Students from all faculties and branches should learn the risks associated with counterfeiting and piracy, since they bring security risks for consumers. It is important for them to know how to reap financial benefits of their intellectual potential, especially in the IT sector, but also in engineering. Different kind of knowledge on copyright and neighbouring rights will be necessary to be acquired by students from the faculties of philology, pedagogy, social studies.
It is only the Law faculty that has in its curriculum IP as a mandatory subject. This is why the project will have as its target group all the students from different faculties with exception of the law students, making the necessary differentiation in the process of training.

4.2 Reach and Impact
Project should clearly identify from the beginning Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to assess reach on targets and ensure that the results and achievements of the project can be measured. The results of the project under each lot should be measured by the 3 mandatory key performance indicators (KPIs) defined for the action in the call in line with each lot.
Quantitative measurement should include the number of directly and indirectly reached target in line with each lot and should pay special attention to the involvement of relevant influencers, multipliers and other actors able to leverage the initiative.
Qualitative measurement should pay special attention to the effectiveness of the action and should be precise enough to be able to get a comparative number before and after the action.
Projects should explain precisely how to reach their targets, including the strategy and dissemination.

The Project aims to provide interested students with training by competent lecturers, to prepare study materials, to organize communication with creators: artists, designers, representatives of IT companies, judges involved in litigation on IP cases – as influencers and multipliers. In such way awareness activities will be evident for the students.
For interested students from all faculties and filial of the Plovdiv University (with exception of the Law Faculty) two day seminars will be organized with the active participation of their professors and practitioners as influencers. (Preceding these seminars separate “training for trainers” sessions will be held with members of the team and professors, representatives of the relevant faculties). Approximately 1200 students from the Plovdiv University may participate in the seminars. Each of the participants will receive a study book with a general overview of the legal protection of IP in Bulgaria. Students will have to fill a questionnaire before the seminar answering basic questions on IP protection and will receive another questionnaire after the seminar. In such way the effectiveness of the planned training could be judged and the real figure of participants can be obtained. The number of the young people directly reached will be about 1200. Indirectly, all students enrolled at the Plovdiv University will be reached: the link to the website of the project will appear on the website of Plovdiv University. The latter will give access to basic legal materials and to information about the organization of seminars and other events in connection with the project.
Thanks to the possibility to judge the level of engagement and the knowledge acquired it will be possible to provide at the end of the project duration concrete comparative percentages on the evolution linked to the change of perception and improved understanding of IP of the students who have participated in the training offered by the Association.

The project team has set the following key performance indicators (KPIs):

KPI 1 Number of young people directly reached -1200
KPI 2 Number of young people indirectly reached – 2400
KPI 3 Number of influencers (students` councils, students`clubs; students`hobby teams) – 30
KPI 4 Number of registered followers – 600
KPI 5 Number of provided questionnaires with feedback – 400
KPI 6 Percentage of positive change of attitude – >60%

4.3 Methodology and Sustainability
Projects should ensure that the tools and methods proposed are relevant to reach their objectives and expected results and that results can last in time. Projects should have an innovative approach, creative and original methods, tools and techniques.These elements have to be adequate to reach intended audiences. Projects which are part of multi-annual/European plan or strategy and therefore fully integrated hereafter will be favoured. Projects which have a European scope or have a clear potential to be replicated either in time or in another country will be also favoured.

The project will comprise two phases: during the first phase (1st month – end of the 3rd month)
– A textbook of about 100-120 pages will be prepared by Prof. Stefan Stefanov, PhD, and Assist. prof. M. Kavrakova, PhD. It will include both industrial property matters and copyright. The textbook will be oriented to students who do not study law so that the notions will be explained in popular language. It is worth mentioning that there are no study books on legal protection of IP generally in Bulgaria. The textbook will be edited and published during the 4th -5th month of the project. Every student participating in the seminars will receive a copy of the textbook before the seminar starts. The number of copies to be published is planned to be 1500. They will be property of the students who have taken part in the 2 days seminars. Before the seminars start, students will have to fill up questionnaires, they will do the same at the end of the training. The answers will be available to understand if there is change in their perception of IP. They will also receive a certificate from the organizers of the seminars. As mentioned above 1500 copies will be printed – we do not know in advance how many students from each faculty and branch will be willing to participate in the training. The number of students in different faculties and branches differ – from 1000 to more than 3000. The rest of the books (which are not given to students) will be distributed between libraries of other universities in Bulgaria. The exact figures will be given at the end of the project’s duration.
– During the first month a website for the project will be developed. The content of the website will include: information about events organized in the framework of the project; the text of the basic pieces of legislation in Bulgaria plus short comments and relevant case law explained. The website will be kept up to date after the end of the duration of the project by assistant professors and students from the Law Faculty of Plovdiv University.
The second phase of the project (4th-12th months) will include two types of trainings. The first type will be the “training of trainers” seminars – organized for each of the faculties and branches according to the specifics of the different fields of studies. During these meetings between members of the team and lecturers from a given faculty the seminars for students will be prepared.
The seminars with the students will end with filling of another questionnaire giving info about the progress made by the students.
Avery good result of the project would be the decision of some of the faculties to include teaching IP protection as part of their curriculum. This would guarantee the sustainability of the project.
During our preliminary talks with the President of the University and some of the Deans, while discussing this project, they expressed their willingness to include a special IP course in the teaching of some specialties.
Different teams of lecturers and relevant influencers will be formed for the seminars with the students from different faculties and different specialties. For instance, for pedagogy and philology students meetings with artists – illustrators of books will be organized and discussions on the theme of co-authorship will take place. Different tools and methods will be used for the target group of students with IT and technical background. For some of them a visit to an IT company may be organized and also a visit to the Patent Office in Sofia – for interested students from the engineering specialties. A member of the team will meet the students in the Patent Office in Sofia and explain how the different laws are applied. The idea is that students will meet not only professors as lecturers, but also practitioners.
The Association will invite also part time students to participate in the trainings. The rest of the books will be offered to them with an appropriate program for training. This will help to disseminate knowledge about IP among bigger number of young people between 20 and 30 years of age.

4.4Cost-effectiveness (Feasibility and efficiency)
Projects should ensure there is a consistency between the activities planned and the budget foreseen for their application. The project implementation demonstrates overall an efficient and effective use of resources to implement the project and appropriate value for money.

Plovdiv University agreed to be partner in this project. This means that the association will use the infrastructure created by Plovdiv University and its branches (classrooms, some teaching materials.) Keeping in mind the narrow contacts we have with the Law faculty, we believe the project will be feasible and cost effective.

ACTIVITY PLAN

Overview and Summary of Activities

This summary should be based on sections 3 (Detailed Description of the Project) and 4 (Duration) above. Please complete the overview of activities below:

Type of activity	Deliverables – outputs / results I achievements	Sub-activities (if appropriate)	Estimate of total person-days	Start date / End date
Preparation of training and support materials	A textbook of about 100-120 pages on both industrial property matters and copyright oriented to students who do not study law – 1500 items		120	01.01.2018/30.04.2018
Provision of induction seminars on IP	Entry and final questionnaires		240	01.05.2018/30.06.2018
Publicity and awareness raising	Establishment of the dedicated project website and online learning platform		80	01.01.2018 / 31.12.2018
Provision of train-the-trainers seminars	Forming of lecturers`teams		140	01.09.2018/30.09.2018
Provision of core seminars with students	Progress questionnaire and feedback		240	01.10.2018/30.11.2018
Support activities	Almanac of suggestions and comments made	Visits to Patent Office Visits in the premises of the Association	180	01.09.2018 / 30.11.2018
Sustainability activities	Decision on opening IP oriented courses		20	01.12.2018 / 31.12.2018

Add rows as necessary

PARTICIPATION OF ASSOCIATED PARTNERS

Please present the potential partner(s) taking part into the project. Each associated partner must therefore satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable for the applicant himself and must sign a letter of intent.

(The below box must be repeated for each partner)

PROFILE OF ASSOCIATED PARTNERS

Official name in full:

Place of establishment or registration: (Address and country)

[Year of foundation]: