Organisers expect about 165 participants at the annual TechNet 2011 National Conference at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst from Wednesday 30 November to Friday 2 December. Mr Jim Watt, laboratory manager in the School of Biomedical Sciences at CSU in Bathurst, said, “The event conference will attract participants from tertiary institutions all over Australia and beyond. The theme of the conference is ‘Balancing Change’, which reflects the challenges faced by all technical staff in the constantly evolving university sector. It is an opportunity for technicians to share knowledge, liaise with distant colleagues, and inspect the many trade displays and some of the latest technology.” Keynote speaker is Ms Libby Hall, Manager of the Taronga Wildlife Hospital, who has over 20 years experience as a wildlife specialist. Workshops and sessions include topics such as: collaboration; the technical spirit; approaches to energy efficiency projects at universities; balancing change - a technician’s role; asset management; the National Life Sciences Hub at CSU; use of open source and freeware in universities; and remote laboratory for interactive learning.