From Generalists to Graduates: Examining EPSO's Makeover

A skeptical look at the EU’s shiny new AD5 rebrand — and why aspiring eurocrats should read the fine print before polishing their CVs.

The News Bit

EPSO has quietly rebranded its classic AD5 competition, once known as Generalists, into Graduates (AD5). The 2025 session has now been postponed to early 2026, citing the need to integrate a new testing provider (OAT) and accompanying IT tools. In plain Brussels-speak, this means: “We’re fixing the system before it breaks again.”

The Analysis

At first glance, “Graduates” seems like a friendlier, modern term. It sounds inclusive, open, even a bit hopeful. But beneath the fresh coat of paint, the machinery looks suspiciously familiar. There’s no confirmed change in eligibility, testing content, or assessment stages — at least not yet. This appears to be a branding exercise, not a structural reform. The bigger story is the shift to the new testing provider, OAT. This change could quietly reshape how reasoning tests are delivered, timed, or scored, and might finally move EPSO closer to a stable digital ecosystem. But until we see the new Notice of Competition, we’re navigating fog with a candle.

Our Angle

EPSO has been wrestling with an identity crisis for years — trying to reconcile fairness, modernity, and bureaucracy. By calling the AD5 cycle “Graduates,” the institution signals a desire to appeal to a younger, more international audience. But unless testing and assessment evolve alongside the terminology, this rebrand risks feeling like a PowerPoint makeover rather than a paradigm shift. To borrow a metaphor: it’s like upgrading the logo on Internet Explorer and calling it Chrome.

The Book Knows

As we warned in EPSO Unlocked (2025), the contest isn’t between names but between mindsets. Our book argues for mastery of reasoning, synthesis, and clarity — the cognitive triad that survives every reform. Train the mind, not the interface, and you’ll stay ahead of whatever Brussels dreams up next.

Closing Thoughts

For now, “Graduates” is a linguistic facelift — a softer, shinier version of “Generalists.” But rebrands often foreshadow deeper reform. The 2026 cycle could be the first true “EPSO 2.0” experiment, with remote testing, integrated analytics, and perhaps even a shorter selection pipeline. Until then, smart candidates will continue to prepare like the best of the old generalists — adaptable, informed, and quietly skeptical.