Call for ICANN NextGen Program 2024 is open now!!!
At ICANN, they feel it is their responsibility to increase accessibility to ICANN and the Internet governance ecosystem and raise awareness and encourage participation amongst the youth who are not currently engaged. The NextGen youth program is an important source for identifying potential future community members who will in their hopes eventually begin to participate once they have completed their studies. Their goal is to share some key areas for participants to explore to gain an understanding of ICANN’s mission and the bottom-up, multistakeholder model that supports it, as well as how participants can start to participate in the important work that affects them, their region, and the global Internet space. ICANN is dedicated to helping youth start a step-by-step journey into the ICANN ecosystem.
The ICANN organization is looking for the next generation of individuals who are interested in becoming actively engaged in their regional communities and in shaping the future of global Internet policy. Important work is happening every day at ICANN.
If the participant is ready to start their journey, attending an ICANN Public Meeting as a NextGen@ICANN participant could be the place to start!
Through the NextGen program, ICANN provides coaching and travel assistance to students from the regions where the ICANN meeting is taking place.
To reach another person on the Internet participants have to type an address into their computer — a name or a number. That address must be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN coordinates these unique identifiers across the world. Without that coordination, they wouldn’t have one global Internet.
In more technical terms, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) helps coordinate the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions, which are key technical services critical to the continued operations of the Internet’s underlying address book, the Domain Name System (DNS). The IANA functions include: (1) the coordination of the assignment of technical protocol parameters including the management of the address and routing parameter area (ARPA) top-level domain; (2) the administration of certain responsibilities associated with Internet DNS root zone management such as generic (gTLD) and country code (ccTLD) Top-Level Domains; (3) the allocation of Internet numbering resources; and (4) other services.
Location:
United StatesBenefits
- Through the NextGen program, ICANN provides coaching and travel assistance to students from the regions where the ICANN meeting is taking place.]
- Each individual is provided a grant of support that covers the cost of economy class airfare, hotel and a stipend.
- NextGen participants are required to secure their own visas for travel at their own expense. If an applicant wants to obtain travel or health insurance this will be at their own expense.
Eligibilities
Participants in the NextGen@ICANN program must be:
- Enrolled as an undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral student.
- Between the ages of 18 and 30 at the time of the ICANN meeting. If the participant does not meet the NextGen eligibility criteria, please explore the ICANN Fellowship program.
- Currently living and studying in the region of the respective ICANN meeting. ICANN’s meetings rotate through five geographic regions: Africa, Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia Pacific. See the calendar and regional rotation for future meetings.
In the event that applications are being accepted from regions other than the one in which the ICANN meeting is taking place, ICANN will make this information publicly available online in advance of the application process for that specific meeting. - Interested in Internet Governance, the future of the Internet, and other topics covered at ICANN meetings.
- If selected, participant must be able to attend the ICANN meeting and required events. NextGen participants are expected to actively participate at the meeting.
- If selected, participant must be willing to present a 5 -10 minute project at the meeting. The presentation can cover topics including: research the participant is working on or completed, an activity related to ICANN’s work, an ICANN related website they are affiliated with, a thesis project, etc.
Applicants are evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Applicant exhibits interest in ICANN and the Internet ecosystem through examples of current work, activities, public dialogue through their studies, and/or research on the web.
- Applicant expresses how participation in the NextGen@ICANN program would be valuable to them as an individual, and as part of a greater community (e.g., university, country, region).
- Applicant’s quality in expressing their view on an Internet topic within their application.
- Applicant demonstrates a desire to become a part of the ICANN community.
- Applicant demonstrates long-standing interest in topics related to ICANN’s work.
- Applicant expresses a desire to engage and improve their understanding of ICANN’s work in their region.
Application Process
- To apply, go to the ‘Apply Link’.
- By applying, applicants are agreeing to attend the ICANN meeting with the NextGen@ICANN group as well as all required events.
Application Deadline: February 23, 2024
Application ClosedOfficial link
