Originally launched in 1987 as the “Business English Certificates”, the BCCI IPEC examinations continue to expand both in terms of the number and variety of users and in terms of the level and choice of examinations offered.

 

Currently the core IPEC examinations in Professional English are offered at three of the levels established by the Council of Europe: Entry (Threshold B1 Level), Executive (Vantage B2 Level), and Excellence (Effective Proficiency C1 level), while the specialised modules are becoming an increasingly successful and distinctive part of the IPEC suite. The module in Legal English at B2 and C1 levels which was developed in collaboration with Milan's Just Legal Services is well established and recognised as an external qualification for degree courses in law in major Italian universities, while the latest additions to our range of modules are the Environmental English Module, piloted in 2006 at Ravenna University and the Enological English Module, under development for the Associazione Italiana Sommeliers.

 

IPEC examinations are recognised as "crediti formativi" in Italy, enjoy Europe-wide recognition by COBCOE, the Council of British Chambers of Commerce in Continental Europe, and are also used as final examinations or recognised as credits by several other important Italian universities. Apart from the universities, other users include Istituti Superiori, private language schools and individual students.

 

Features of the examinations appreciated by our users include the challenging and stimulating nature of the examination materials, and their topicality and authenticity. The latter features are guaranteed by our agreement with the prestigious British magazine "Management Today" for the use of their articles as texts in our examinations. The flexibility in terms of availability for groups and individuals, and the rapid turnaround of results are also plus points. Naturally, the fact that the examinations are offered by the British Chamber of Commerce for Italy, apart from guaranteeing their direct relevance to the world of work, and the high quality of their preparation, offers a unique benefit both to users and to members of the Chamber, as successful candidates are able to use the Chamber's job-finder service free for a one year period, helping them to find work, and enabling those consulting the job finder archives to be sure they are dealing with potential employees whose ability in English is quantified and certified.