Ninette Aucamp is serving as additional member of the ELETSA Executive Committee for the term 2024 – 2026. She is an Industrial Psychologist (HPCSA), Independent Counsellor (HPSA), and Senior Academic Advisor at the University of the Free State (UFS).
She has been involved in the professional accreditation of almost 500 Academic advisors Nationally, as the academic coordinator, and a facilitator of the Academic Advising Professional Development Programme (AAPD) offered by the UFS. She also coordinates the UFS Peer Advising programme which services approximately 1800 peer advisors. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Counselling Psychology, an Honors degree in Industrial Psychology, and a Master’s degree in industrial psychology at the UFS.
With dual registrations at the HPCSA, she draws from specialisations in coaching and counselling, wellness, professional ethics, student support, higher education, training and development, talent management, and organisational development in her advising practice. Her research centres around student support and success, and the professionalisation of advising as a practice. Her master’s thesis focused on developing a competency framework for academic advisors in the South African context. She believes in advising as a professional and ethical practice that promotes growth and development and empowers students to succeed to graduation and beyond.
With 16 years of experience in the development, implementation and facilitation of success skills programmes, she specialises in assisting STEM students with success strategies, study approaches, and problem-solving to overcome everyday challenges and transitions. Being part of the advising team at the UFS, she has been involved in the planning and execution of the National Advisor Seminar in 2022 and 2023 and has presented a paper on peer advising. Her values are rooted in human-centeredness, compassion, work ethic, and openness.
