Frequently Asked Questions: WIPO Virtual and Hybrid Meetings

In a virtual meeting, all delegates connect to the meeting remotely using the virtual conferencing platform.

In a hybrid meeting, participation is mixed, i.e., delegates are either physically present on-site or participate remotely via the virtual conferencing platform. The audiovisual feeds (from both the platform and the conference room) are integrated and displayed in real time in both the physical and virtual meeting environment.

The invitation (convocation), accreditation process, and registration of delegates to WIPO virtual and hybrid meetings continues as normal through our usual registration system.

The registration form asks you to indicate whether you will be physically present at the meeting, or participating remotely.

After registration closes, each delegate participating remotely receives an email with joining instructions, a link to the meeting space and an access token. When s/he connects to the platform, s/he receives a unique authentication code via mobile phone or email, which is required to enter the meeting (this is the equivalent to badging on arrival at a physical meeting).

Please respect the registration deadline stipulated in the invitation circular to allow time for the technical two-factor authentication processes and pre-meeting individual coaching sessions.

For meetings with full interpretation, the Interprefy platform can accommodate up to 3,000 total participants, including 450 participants designated as having a speaking role ("active participation" mode).

Passive (non-speaking) participants will be able to follow the proceedings and access the “event chat”, but will not be able to request the floor, nor access the private chat functions. Their names will, however, appear on the official List of Participants for the meeting.

In place of physical badging, there is a two-factor authentication process to check and authorize each person’s access to the online meeting:

• The email address is verified against the email provided by the participant in the registration form;
• the participant receives a unique, one-time authentication code via mobile phone or email in order to enter the meeting.

Yes. Live webcasting is provided as usual, and is available in up to six languages. Recordings of the virtual and hybrid meetings are also available as Video-on-Demand. Live webcasting offers an easy alternative means for non-speakers to follow the proceedings in real time from outside without having to register or go through the authentication procedures for the virtual platform. (The names of people following a meeting via the virtual conferencing platform will appear on the published List of Participants.)

All delegates’ microphones are centrally muted on joining the meeting.

The Chair will invite delegates to request the floor in the usual order, i.e.: (i) Regional Group coordinators; (ii) Member State delegations; (iii) Observer organizations.

When invited to do so by the Chair, participants in the respective category click the “raise-hand” button to request the floor. The Secretariat team helps the Chair to keep track of the queue of floor-requests (including the coordination of remote and on-site floor requests in a hybrid meeting). The microphone operator opens the microphones of the designated speakers in the order announced by the Chair.

Yes. In the interests of time-efficiency, delegations are encouraged to submit written statements, which will form part of the official records of the session. Should they wish to make an oral statement, they are encouraged to provide a copy of the text in advance in order to assist the interpreters, and in case of connectivity issues.

Delegations may also submit a pre-recorded video statement, which will be broadcast during the meeting, in lieu of a live intervention.

The platform provides the capability for written private chat and chat-to-all (or "event chat").

In a formal WIPO Committee meeting the event chat function should not be used in place of an oral intervention, or for general comments or questions by delegates. It will generally be used only by the Secretariat, the microphone operator or the interpreters for communications to all participants if needed for technical or practical reasons.

The only use by a delegate in a formal Committee would generally be to raise a point of order, since the raised hand function alone would not distinguish a point of order from a speaking request.

The private chat is available to remote delegates designated as having a speaking role ("active mode"). It may be used for private messages between participants, for communicating with the Secretariat team, or for messaging the technical support (via the "moderator chat").

All delegates registered to participate remotely in a virtual or hybrid meeting will be contacted prior to the meeting for an individual, technical connectivity test and a mini coaching session on how to use the platform.

A simple, step-by-step user-guide , is also provided.

Helpdesk “hotlines” are provided for assistance with any technical problems before and during the meeting.