The Free State region of the Southern African Association for Counselling and Development in Higher Education (SAACDHE), together with the University of the Free State’s Student Counselling and Development, is to host the 33rd annual SAACDHE conference. The conference will be held at a resort at Thaba Nchu from 10 to 13 September 2012.

SAACDHE represents the interests of counselling and development service providers in higher education and facilitates the holistic development of staff in counselling and development centres. Botswana, Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, North West, Western Cape and Witwatersrand are part of the association.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Back to Basic: Getting in touch with our students today”, which promises to be relevant for professionals who are involved in student counselling and development. Members will attend academic presentations and workshops on topics related to various sub-themes, including career counselling/development - building your brand in a competitive world of work; technology; adjustment (first-generation students); student psychopathology; trends and ethics in student counselling.

Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the university will deliver a keynote address at the conference.

For more information, contact Mrs Petro Herbst at 051 401 2853 or HerbstP@ufs.ac.za. Also visit the SAACDHE website at www.saacdhe.org.