There was no formal announcement. No pomp. No flair. And not even a Body of Knowledge. But last week, the IAPP quietly announced a new certification – the Certified Information Privacy Professional / Australia (CIPP/AU). A CIPP/AU exam slot appeared on the official IAPP ANZ Summit 2026 agenda, but the credential doesn't exist in the IAPP's current portfolio. Here is what we know (and what we don’t).
The IAPP and the CIPP family
The IAPP is the world’s largest association of privacy professionals, running the most widely recognized privacy certifications in the field. IAPP certification is often considered the “gold standard” for professional designation in the privacy and data protection industry. One of its core credentials is the Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP), a series of region-specific certifications, each of which is focused on the laws of a particular jurisdiction or region.
The family of CIPP certifications includes the following:
- CIPP/US (United States) – Focuses on U.S. federal and state privacy laws
- CIPP/E (Europe) – Focuses on the General Data Protection Regulation and European privacy frameworks
- CIPP/C (Canada) – Focuses on Canadian public- and private-sector privacy legislation
- CIPP/CN (China) – Focuses on China’s data protection framework
- CIPP/A (Asia) – Focuses on privacy laws and frameworks in Singapore, Hong Kong, India, and the Asia-Pacific region more broadly
What We Know About the CIPP/AU Certification
The evidence is slim but concrete. While no formal announcement has been made, the opportunity to be the first to sit for the CIPP/AU exam appears on the official ANZ Summit 2026 agenda. It is scheduled for Friday, December 4, the last day of the conference in Sydney, Australia.
No such credential exists in the IAPP's current certification portfolio listed on its website, but the event listing uses the same format the IAPP typically uses for on-site exam opportunities at its events. This will be the first new CIPP concentration since the CIPP/CN launched in 2023.
What We Don't Know About the CIPP/AU Certification
There is still quite a lot of uncertainty regarding the new CIPP/AU certification.
Most importantly, what topics will be tested? We don’t really know, as the IAPP has not published a Body of Knowledge or Exam Blueprint for the exam. It is these documents that set forth the knowledge domains, competencies, and performance indicators that students must know to successfully prepare for the IAPP’s other certifications.
It seems obvious that the exam will test knowledge of the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APP) set forth within it. It will also likely test on the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act of 2024. It may also test knowledge of New Zealand’s Privacy Act of 2020. But really, we can’t say for sure.
It is also unclear whether this is a full public launch or a limited pilot—or, why there has been no announcement at all.
Why This Matters
Australia has its own well-developed privacy framework—the Privacy Act 1988—with significant reforms still working their way through. A jurisdiction-specific certification would give Australian privacy professionals, and anyone working with Australian organizations globally, a credential that speaks directly to local regulatory reality
What You Can Do Right Now
There is no official guidance on what to study yet and registration has not opened. In the meantime, brushing up on the APP, and building a solid foundation in privacy principles is a practical step. Our preparation courses for CIPM, CIPT, and AIGP cover the foundational knowledge almost certain to be relevant when the CIPP/AU Body of Knowledge drops. Keep an eye on the ANZ Summit 2026 agenda for updates. And watch this space, where we will be bringing you updated information as soon as its released.
