Report on the Work of the IJPC

4February 6, 2010 Press Conference and Official Launch of ProjectFollowing the February 6 official launch of the project, the IJPC began accepting preliminaryapplications. As a part of the electronic application process, all applicants were issued arandomly-assigned IJPC identification number, which was used for the electronic tracking andretrieval of applicant information, and preservation of the confidentiality of applicantinformation. For example, by using applicant ID numbers, the Ethics Exams were gradedanonymously, and the grades were posted on the IJPC web site without disclosure of the namesof any applicants.Concerns about the advisability of requiring applicants to submit the preliminary applicationelectronically were quickly alleviated as IJPC was flooded with applications in the first twoweeks following public announcement of the application period. A total of 898 preliminaryapplications were received prior to the April 19 application deadline.D. Creation, Administration and Assessment of the Ethics and Entrance ExaminationsThe next major task was creation, administration and assessment of the Ethics Exam. Acomprehensive report about the 2009 Ethics Exam was published on June 2, 2009, and for thatreason, only a few brief remarks will be included here. With the assistance of an internationalexam writing expert, exam questions were drafted by two IJPC Commissioners, two internationalattorneys on staff with IJPC, and four local attorneys during a week-long workshop held understrict security.Rules of procedure, instructions for applicants taking the exam, and a set of guidelines for theinternational personnel who monitored the exam were adopted, published and enforced in orderFunded by the European Union and the Government of USA.