If the proposal is approved this year, they could implement it in 2024. The new exams can be made with less effort, so that should not be a problem with the existing committees. It would be unforgiveable to have another year (2024) with the bloated B and C exams. The biggest issue is informing candidates about the changes - there is currently no efficient way of doing this, particularly for resitters. Tutors can only reach a small portion of candidates. I think the same approach used for the first Wiseflow EQE (lots of information, webinars, the helpdesk answering questions, extra mock exams) from both epi and EPO would be enough.
I think it is only fair that candidates who sat under the old system should be allowed to continue with compensable fail marks. These are the conditions and terms that were presented to them so to take them away would be extremely unfair, especially for those who will be between systems.
Having talked with candidates from EQE2023 who are seeing the bar raised significantly for passing A, B and C in the WISEflow format, I withdraw my support for the attached changes to the syllabus by the epi. It makes no sense to discuss this when the A, B and C committees have the complete freedom to ignore their own guidelines and ignore the WISEflow limitations in place since 2021. A & B are minor exams that anyone with 2 years of experience should pass with max. 2 attempts. C should also be possible with more experience and max. 2 attempts. No employer is going to pay for someone to spend 4-6 years trying to qualify 1x per year while fighting random technical issues, unannounced changes in format & content, technology "mood swings" and bloated exams. This is killing the EPA profession, and effectively shutting out non-native speakers from qualifying at all. Please switch to the multiple-choice format originally proposed by the European Patent Office as soon as possible, similar to the Pre-Exam, but for all elements. This is hopeless and it is getting worse.
It takes the committee about 2 years to complete an exam, so these were all made from the start with the full knowledge of the limitations of WISEflow and that they must use combined technologies for AB. And all 3 exams ABC were more difficult than last year. I think D was within the normal boundaries, although D2 was maybe a bit long.
The last drop was probably C - there was not even an attempt to reduce the reading in C-1. They had 2 years to do it. And they are ruining so many careers of good candidates who are completely fit-to-practice, but cannot do the trick correctly on the 1 day per year that they need to perform. It used to be that only C was like that, but A and B clearly have ambitions to become like C, with a different trick needed each year.
I worry that it is going to end up like in C 2007 (pass rate 15% before correction) when the ex-chairperson of the C committee said that candidates could not pass their perfect C exam, should choose a different career.
Dear Peter, thanks for your words about the raised bar, much apricieted! Knowing it´s not just me who thought the papers complex this year... If a candidate don´t pass next year; are all previous passed exams invalid and they`ll have to start all over again, even if they only had a single paper left? Kind regards, Linda
You're welcome - I hope it helps. Don't worry about the new format - you will get at least 1-2 years warning, And they will set it up so that your current situation is fully taken into account.
epi info 1/2023 has published an update to the proposal with changes to the module contents - information.patentepi.org/issue-1-2023/new-format-of-the-eeqe.html. I just added this comment on the epi page: I was initially enthusiastic for these changes. However, having talked with candidates from #EQE2023 who are seeing the bar raised significantly for passing A, B and C in the WISEflow format, I don't believe these changes make sense. Everyone likes to pretend that everything is fine, but it is clear that the EQE system is completely derailed. The current organisation cannot even make fair ABC examinations for the broad range of candidates, especially non-native speakers. Who is going to make these new exams? Will they still be allowed to ignore all the WISEflow limitations and just make whatever they want because they are volunteers? No employer is going to pay for someone to spend 4-6 years trying to qualify 1x per year while fighting random technical issues, unannounced changes in format & content, technology "mood swings" and bloated exams. We are condemning a lot of good, well-prepared candidates to multiple years of re-sitting. It is especially devastating for non-native speakers. I believe the current organisation may be able to manage a US-style multiple-choice US agent exam. So, maybe we should be honest and admit that this is the best that we can hope for. At least such an EP-agent exam will be predictable, stable and there is a chance of doing the exam more than once per year.
When will new exams start?
ReplyDeleteIf the proposal is approved this year, they could implement it in 2024. The new exams can be made with less effort, so that should not be a problem with the existing committees. It would be unforgiveable to have another year (2024) with the bloated B and C exams.
DeleteThe biggest issue is informing candidates about the changes - there is currently no efficient way of doing this, particularly for resitters. Tutors can only reach a small portion of candidates. I think the same approach used for the first Wiseflow EQE (lots of information, webinars, the helpdesk answering questions, extra mock exams) from both epi and EPO would be enough.
Thanks Pete!
ReplyDeleteI think it is only fair that candidates who sat under the old system should be allowed to continue with compensable fail marks. These are the conditions and terms that were presented to them so to take them away would be extremely unfair, especially for those who will be between systems.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHaving talked with candidates from EQE2023 who are seeing the bar raised significantly for passing A, B and C in the WISEflow format, I withdraw my support for the attached changes to the syllabus by the epi. It makes no sense to discuss this when the A, B and C committees have the complete freedom to ignore their own guidelines and ignore the WISEflow limitations in place since 2021. A & B are minor exams that anyone with 2 years of experience should pass with max. 2 attempts. C should also be possible with more experience and max. 2 attempts.
ReplyDeleteNo employer is going to pay for someone to spend 4-6 years trying to qualify 1x per year while fighting random technical issues, unannounced changes in format & content, technology "mood swings" and bloated exams.
This is killing the EPA profession, and effectively shutting out non-native speakers from qualifying at all.
Please switch to the multiple-choice format originally proposed by the European Patent Office as soon as possible, similar to the Pre-Exam, but for all elements. This is hopeless and it is getting worse.
Proposed changes to EQE by epi
DeleteThanks for the contribution and support of us, non-native speakers. I wonder what the last drop was ?
DeleteIt takes the committee about 2 years to complete an exam, so these were all made from the start with the full knowledge of the limitations of WISEflow and that they must use combined technologies for AB. And all 3 exams ABC were more difficult than last year. I think D was within the normal boundaries, although D2 was maybe a bit long.
DeleteThe last drop was probably C - there was not even an attempt to reduce the reading in C-1.
They had 2 years to do it. And they are ruining so many careers of good candidates who are completely fit-to-practice, but cannot do the trick correctly on the 1 day per year that they need to perform. It used to be that only C was like that, but A and B clearly have ambitions to become like C, with a different trick needed each year.
I worry that it is going to end up like in C 2007 (pass rate 15% before correction) when the ex-chairperson of the C committee said that candidates could not pass their perfect C exam, should choose a different career.
Thanks Pete to be our voice. After this year's B I think I have to change my career too. It should not be so hard. It is a waste of money and time.
ReplyDeleteDear Peter, thanks for your words about the raised bar, much apricieted! Knowing it´s not just me who thought the papers complex this year...
ReplyDeleteIf a candidate don´t pass next year; are all previous passed exams invalid and they`ll have to start all over again, even if they only had a single paper left?
Kind regards, Linda
You're welcome - I hope it helps.
DeleteDon't worry about the new format - you will get at least 1-2 years warning, And they will set it up so that your current situation is fully taken into account.
epi info 1/2023 has published an update to the proposal with changes to the module contents - information.patentepi.org/issue-1-2023/new-format-of-the-eeqe.html. I just added this comment on the epi page:
ReplyDeleteI was initially enthusiastic for these changes. However, having talked with candidates from #EQE2023 who are seeing the bar raised significantly for passing A, B and C in the WISEflow format, I don't believe these changes make sense. Everyone likes to pretend that everything is fine, but it is clear that the EQE system is completely derailed. The current organisation cannot even make fair ABC examinations for the broad range of candidates, especially non-native speakers. Who is going to make these new exams? Will they still be allowed to ignore all the WISEflow limitations and just make whatever they want because they are volunteers? No employer is going to pay for someone to spend 4-6 years trying to qualify 1x per year while fighting random technical issues, unannounced changes in format & content, technology "mood swings" and bloated exams. We are condemning a lot of good, well-prepared candidates to multiple years of re-sitting. It is especially devastating for non-native speakers. I believe the current organisation may be able to manage a US-style multiple-choice US agent exam. So, maybe we should be honest and admit that this is the best that we can hope for. At least such an EP-agent exam will be predictable, stable and there is a chance of doing the exam more than once per year.