Pass rate trends for EQE courses

JDD CONSULTANTS
ANALYSIS OF THE PASS RATES OF
GB V NON-GB CANDIDATES AND
JDD COURSE ATTENDEES IN THE
EUROPEAN QUALIFYING EXAMS
(EQE)
[July 2014]
EQE pass rates for
GB and Non-GB candidates
From our annual analysis of the EPO’s Statistics on the
results of the EQE http://www.epo.org/learningevents/eqe/statistics.html that the pass rates for GB
candidates have consistently been higher than those for
non-GB candidates.
The graph on the next slide shows the position for EQE
2013 [the EPO will publish the statistics for EQE 2014 in October 2014].
And Nicholas Fox produced a paper in 2005, which
analysed this for EQE 1995-2005.
EQE 2013 Pass Rates by Paper
40
Paper D
66
Non-GB
GB
40
Paper C
59
65
Paper B Chem
80
58
Paper B MEL
65
50
Paper A Chem
66
51
Paper A MEL
84
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
% of those taking the paper who passed (does not include compensable fails)
80
90
Pass rates for GB candidates in EQE examinations 2010-13
66.4
51
Paper D
62
2010
66
2011
2012
58.3
2013
52
Paper C
46
59
74.1
71
Paper B Chem
70
80
69.4
82
Paper B MEL
72
65
71.7
52
Paper A Chem
77
66
73.4
76
Paper A MEL
73
84
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
% of those taking the exam who passed (does not include compensable fails)
80
90
% pass rates in EQE 2013 by candidates from the 5 main countries
(this chart includes 'compensable fails')
51
66
Paper D
53
63
72
47
51
Paper C
53
70
68
58
79
Paper B Chem
71
IT
86
91
FR
DE
58
57
NL
GB
73
Paper B MEL
77
71
33
53
64
Paper A Chem
70
75
63
58
62
Paper A MEL
54
88
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Explanations for the higher
pass rate for GB candidates
• English being one of the three languages used in the EQE is an
advantage to GB candidates.
• Having national examinations also means that GB candidates start
from a higher base than candidates from countries without national
exams.
• GB candidates are better trained – both in-house and through EQE
training courses available with JDD and QM as well as the CEIPI
Strasbourg course.
– Closest to GB in pass rates is the Netherlands, which has available the
thorough Delta Patents courses.
– Nevertheless, a high proportion of NL ‘passes’ in Papers C and D are
via ‘compensable fails’, excluding which the NL pass rates in fall to 55%
in Paper C and 43% in Paper D as against rates of 59% and 66% in GB.
– As the next slide shows, the pass rate for achieving overall qualification
in EQE’s four papers (Article 14(1) REE) was 48% for the 109 NL
candidates compared with 60% for the 157 GB candidates.
Comparative overall pass rates (%) of candidates by country pursuant of Article 14(1) REE
Overall
38
Other countries
29
IT
29
FR
38
DE
40
48
NL
GB
60
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
The EQE pass rates for candidates
who attended JDD courses (1)
Unlike the JEB/PEB examinations, which shows the
names of successful candidates by paper, the EPO
posts on its website:
1.
2.
3.
Results by paper for each EQE candidate, but showing their
candidate number rather than name.
Results by the country of the candidate.
The names of successful candidates by year – that is candidates
who have achieved the aggregate marks needed and fulfilled the
conditions to pass all four papers and become an EPA.
Without knowing the candidate numbers of those who
attend our courses, we are unable to monitor pass
rates to the level of detail we can for JEB/PEB courses.
The EQE pass rates for candidates
who attended JDD courses (2)
But what we do know is the year when those
who attend our courses appear on the EPO list
of successful candidates (in all four exams).
For example, in 2013:
– 79% of those who took all four Papers A, B C and D
with us that year appear in the EPO list of successful
candidates (i.e. EPAs) for 2013.
– This success rate is higher than the 75% rate CEIPI
quotes in its literature.
– We also had further additional ‘successful
candidates’ (EPAs) who took three or fewer papers
with us and went to Strasbourg for the week long
Paper D CEIPI course.

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