The Centre for International Intellectual Property Studies (CEIPI) is known for its complete range of high-quality courses preparing for the European qualifying examination (EQE), using proprietary high-quality training material. This programme enables candidates to increase their chances of success.

A pre-examination will be held in 2016 for those candidates who fulfil the requirements to present themselves to the pre-examination of the EQE in 2016 (see supplementary publication 2, OJ EPO 2014).

CEIPI is organising, as part of the Euro-CEIPI collaboration with the European Patent Academy, seminars and courses in Strasbourg, Munich and Paris to help candidates prepare for the pre-examination.

The tutors for these courses are a mix of professional representatives (from private practice and industry) and EPO staff. All have extensive knowledge and practical experience in the procedures before the EPO and the Boards of Appeal.

I. Main seminar

The main seminar will take place from 2 to 6 November 2015 in Strasbourg.

Participants are expected to have a sound working knowledge of patent law. The teaching material will be designed in accordance with the style of the pre-examination procedure, which is based on a multiple-choice system.

The pre-examination seminar will cover the following topics (see Rule 10 of the Implementing Provisions to the Regulation on the EQE, supplementary publication 2, OJ EPO 2014):

(a) legal questions relating to the candidates' knowledge of the relevant provisions, including the EPC, the Implementing Regulations to the EPC, the Ancillary Regulations to the EPC, the Rules relating to Fees, the PCT, the Regulations under the PCT and the Guidelines for Examination in the EPO;

(b) questions on the drafting of claims, the allowability of claims and the scope of protection provided by claims;

(c) during the pre-exam seminar, participants will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a mock examination.

The pre-examination seminar will be held in all three official languages of the EPO (German, English and French).

The fee is EUR 1 600 for the five-day seminar.

Please note that early enrolment is advisable.

The closing date for enrolment is 25 September 2015.

For organisational reasons, the number of participants has to be limited. Applications to CEIPI will be treated on a first come, first served basis. If the seminars are oversubscribed, names will be put on a waiting list.

More information on the programme of the seminar as well as other courses can be found on the CEIPI website www.ceipi.edu under "International section - Preparation for the EQE/Seminars".

You can apply via:
seminarEQE@ceipi.edu

More information on this seminar can also be obtained from:

Christiane Melz
CEIPI Section Internationale
Université de Strasbourg
Boîte Postale 68
67046 Strasbourg cedex
France
Tel. +33 (0)368 858313
Fax +33 (0)368 858566
christiane.melz@ceipi.edu

II. "Cramming course" for the EQE pre-examination 2016

To complete the above programme, CEIPI offers for the pre-examination a last-minute opportunity to candidates wishing to improve their skills in respect of this paper. To that end, CEIPI organises a "cramming course", in which candidates put themselves under examination conditions and write twice a full pre-examination within the same time as available in the examination.

To that purpose, the CEIPI has designed a complete pre-examination paper in order to give the candidates the opportunity to take on the first day a mock exam exclusively offered to them in the framework of this cramming course. On the second day, the participants will do a former EQE pre-examination paper under under exam conditions. In the afternoon, the tutors will present a model solution for each of these mock examinations.

There is no point coming to this course insufficiently prepared, as this will either hold up the other candidates or the pace will be too fast.

Please note that early enrolment is advisable.

The aim of the course is to give the candidates the possibility, close to but also sufficiently in advance of the actual pre-examination end of February 2016, to exercise their skills in sitting two mock exams under examination conditions. With subsequent feedback from a tutor on the paper(s) in question and on the work delivered by the candidates, as well as the possibility of putting "last-minute" questions to the tutor, candidates will have an even better idea of whether certain issues need closer study and/or which skills should be further trained.

Depending on the available capacity the participants will be chosen on a first come, first served basis. If the courses are oversubscribed, names will be put on a waiting list.

This "cramming course" will take place, in all three official languages of the EPO (German, English and French) as a two-day course on Thursday, 28 January and Friday, 29 January 2016. For English- and German-speaking candidates the course will be held in Munich. For French-speaking candidates it will take place in Paris.

The fee for this course is EUR 750.

More information on the course programme can be found on the CEIPI website: www.ceipi.edu under "International section - Preparation for the EQE/Seminars/Cramming course".

Programme (for each of the two days):

9.00 - 13.00 hrs: mock exam

14.00 - 18.00 hrs: presentation of the CEIPI model solution for the mock exam and question and answer session

The closing date for enrolment is 4 January 2016.

You can apply via:
preparationEQE@ceipi.edu

For further information you can also contact:

Sylvie Kra
CEIPI Section Internationale
Université de Strasbourg
Boîte Postale 68
67046 Strasbourg cedex
France
Tel. +33 (0)368 858019
Fax +33 (0)368 858566
sylvie.kra@ceipi.edu