Conference

45th Annual
SAACDHE Conference

15-17 September 2025

The Ranch Resort, Polokwane

Conference Theme

The cycle of life for students and practitioners: Finding balance in the student support ecosystem

SUBTHEME 1: THE AFRICAN BUFFALO
Practices that foster strength, resilience, and adaptability

Developing resilience in the face of adversity
Promoting adaptability
Fostering mental wellbeing
Using strength-based approaches
Gender-based violence
Working with students with disabilities

SUBTHEME 2: THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT
Practices that foster care for the caregiver

Client care versus self-care
Mental well-being of professionals
Practitioner burnout
Professional development
Development of new psychology professionals

SUBTHEME 3: THE BLACK RHINOCEROS
Practices that shape and develop our environment

Evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence
New age of student services
Future-ready graduates
Creative interventions
The efficient and effective use of resources
Developing skills and competencies
Embracing Diversity
Practices that are inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community

SUBTHEME 4: THE LEOPARD
Traditional and Modern Practices

Artificial Intelligence
Online vs Hybrid vs Face-to-Face interventions
Individual vs Group counselling
Legislation/policies vs Ethical practices
Short-term versus long-term therapy

SUBTHEME 5: THE LION
Maintaining healthy balance in the face of challenges

Managing ethical challenges
Capacity versus institutional expectations
Different roles that we are expected to play in our institutions
Challenges faced by professionals
Juggling acts of service

Conference timeline

First call for abstracts	15 April 2025
Second call for abstracts	15 May 2025
Third call for abstracts	15 June 2025
Closing date for abstract submission	30 June 2025
Abstract committee send feedback on submissions	25 April – 31 July 2025
Closing date for Conference registration	2 September 2025
Submission of a full paper for publication in the JCDHESA	8 September 2025
Submission of full paper for publication in the JCDHESA	14 October 2025

Conference fee

SAACDHE MEMBER (FEES PAID UP UNTIL THE END OF JULY 2025)	R5300 INCLUDES EVENING FUNCTIONS
SAACDHE MEMBER (FEES NOT PAID UP UNTIL THE END OF JULY 2025)	R5800 INCLUDES EVENING FUNCTIONS
NON- SAACDHE MEMBER	R5800 INCLUDES EVENING FUNCTIONS
Conference day fee excluding the evening functions	R2200
Conference day fee for Monday including the evening function	R2500
Conference day fee for Wednesday including evening function	R2700

Conference venue details

The Ranch Resort in Polokwane, Limpopo, South Africa, is a 4-star hotel within a 1,000-hectare nature conservancy, offering a combination of leisure, sports, and wildlife experiences. It is 25 km south of Polokwane and 280 km north of Johannesburg. The resort features a variety of accommodation options, a 12-hole par 3 executive golf course, and activities like game drives, horseback riding, and more.

Visit The Ranch website for more information on our conference venue and the accommodation options.