Introductory Patent Paralegal Course (IPPC)
We were pleased to conclude another year of the annual introductory training for paralegals. As in previous years, registration opened in June, with 150 participants enrolling, around 11% fewer than the year before.
This year, IPPC introduced PebblePad, a new online learning platform, to host all course materials, including supporting documents, activities, and webinars. The platform enables mentors to engage directly with their mentees’ activities and allows course organisers to track participant engagement more effectively.
The course followed its usual structure, beginning with an introductory webinar for mentors, followed by the release of materials for the first unit. For the first time in the online course’s history, activity review webinars were held live after each unit, giving students the opportunity to ask the course leads questions directly.
Ahead of the final exam, an optional online tutorial was offered between the mock and final assessments, giving candidates a chance to raise any last-minute questions about the material.
With examinations taking place in early 2025, we look forward to welcoming the successful “IPPC Class of 2025” into CIPA membership.