Date of Release: July 13, 2015

Recently, the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) announced that ATA had successfully won the bid in the project of the Computer-based National Patent Agent Qualification Examination.

ATA has successively won the bids in the projects of the Computer-based Fund Practitioners Qualification Examination and the Computer-based National Patent Agent Qualification Examination over the last month, once again demonstrated its powerful strength and leading position in third-party computer-based test delivery services in China.

The National Patent Agent Qualification Examination is a vocational qualification test sponsored by the SIPO for those engaged in the patent agent service industry. Commencing in 1992, the National Patent Agent Qualification Examination went through three major reforms in 2005, 2009 and 2012 respectively. Patent agent refers to personnel who has obtained the qualification of patent agent, possesses  patent agent work permit, and has been engaged full time or part time in related services in a patent agent institution. The National Patent Agent Qualification Examination is generally held in November in a dozen of test sites and cities at the same time across China. In 2015, the National Patent Agent Qualification Examination will be held on November 7 and 8.

At present, China’s patent agent service industry is facing problems such as high threshold to access and serious shortage of talents. At the same time, it is also characterized by high income levels and bright development prospects. Statistics show that in 2013, 3,812 people passed the test in China, a year-on-year increase of 28.5%. So far, China has 1,080 patent agent service institutions and 10,324 licensed patent agents. Patent applications submitted through patent agent service institutions account for about 65% of the total.

Standardize the industry talents evaluation and management system while finding a clearer direction for the reform in qualification exams

Over the past one year and more, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security has cancelled a total of 149 vocational qualifications in three batches, accounted for 24% of the total vocational qualifications set up by the State Council. In a series of major measures, the State Council has taken measures to “streamline administration and delegate power to the lower levels” as the first step in its efforts to deepen the reform in an all-rounded way and to transform the government functions. Vocational qualification reform is an important part of its work on streamlining administration and delegating power to the lower levels.

However, the reform of vocational qualification system and testing is not simply a matter of cancellation but to better regulate the evaluation and management of industry talents. In this process, it is necessary to improve professional capabilities, skills and levels by making vocational qualification examinations more scientific and standardized. Industries closely associated with social and economic development and people’s daily life are in need of more robust access systems and tests to screen out and evaluate practitioners, while industries involving general working skills also need competency level evaluation systems and testing.

In recent years, China Qualification Certification Examination for Banking Professionals has been incorporated into the national vocational qualification system and renamed as Qualification Certification Examination for Banking Professionals; General Administration of Customs has transferred management of The National Customs Broker Qualification Examination to the China Customs Brokers Association and has renamed the exam to Customs Broker Proficiency Examination;. the Patent Agent Qualification Examiantion undergoing series of reforms, all of these have proven that talents are essential for the development of all industries. Both access qualification exams and proficiency qualification exams are the fairest and the most scientific and effective way in regulating the industry development and evaluating and selecting talents.

With the development of the “Internet +” era, progresses have been constantly made in testing methodologies and technologies. The model of the third party offering professional and market-oriented testing services will be deeply merged with  China’s reform in its vocational qualification testing mechanism so as to provide a fairer, more efficient and scientific way for the standardized management of talents in various industries, and the selection, access, and evaluation in testing.

(If there is any inconsistency or conflict between the English and Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail.)