A key aspect of our international credibility is our compliance with the Hague Apostille Convention—formally known as The Hague Convention of October 5, 1961, Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. Signed by nearly 100 countries, including Australia, this treaty—administered by the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH)—streamlines the process of authenticating official documents for global use.
Documents covered by this Convention include:
- Court documents and those issued by court officers (e.g., prosecutors, clerks, bailiffs)
- Administrative records issued by government authorities
- Notarial acts and documents
- Official certificates attached to private documents (e.g., registration verifications, certificates of existence)
Under this Convention, documents do not need additional legalization from foreign embassies. Instead, once authenticated, they can be submitted to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), which certifies the notary’s signature and issues an Apostille—an official certification verifying the document’s authenticity. [Click here to view Apostille member countries.
Regional Accreditation vs. National Accreditation
Public and private universities that offer diverse academic programs generally hold regional accreditation. This status is granted through rigorous peer reviews conducted by faculty and administrators from similar institutions to ensure high educational standards.
National accreditation, on the other hand, is awarded by agencies that often focus on specific industries or vocational training. While major public colleges and universities typically maintain regional accreditation, individual programs may also earn national accreditation for specialized quality assurance.
Riverside University proudly holds both regional and national accreditation, affirming our commitment to delivering credible and recognized education worldwide.