Fifteen papers from the University of South Africa's Conference on Distance Education are presented on professional education and practical training. They include: "Essential and Professional Education of Physics Teachers in Poland" (Kazimierz A. Badziag); "Vocational Teaching at a Distance: The New Zealand Perspective" (Dave Nicoll); "Principles and Practices in Distance Education" (Faith B. Collins); "Providing a Reality Base for Your Qualification" (Johan Herholdt); "The Role of Private Correspondence Colleges in the Fields of Tertiary Business Education in South Africa" (Theuns Gerber); "The Necessity for Distance Teaching in the In-Service Education of Teachers in Southern Africa" (R.M. Yule); "The 'Distance' Implications of Cooperative Education at Residential Universities as a Strategy to Ensure Effective Education for the Professions" (A.J. Havenga); "Career-Oriented Technikon Training (Technikon Programmes) by Means of Distance Teaching, with Special Reference to Laboratory, Practicals, and In-Service Training" (Z. van Dyk); "The Development of a Computer Package for Distance Education Accounting Students" (D.E. Wolvaardt et al.); "The Development of Distance Education for Traffic Police" (M.G.T. Cloete); "Professional Development in Vocational Courses such as Social Work with Specific Attention to Field Instruction" (R.C.W. van Bijon); "Beyond Professional Training: Developing Mental Health Leadership" (discussion: W.J. Jordaan, P. LeRoux, G. Rodemeyer, F.J.A. Snyders); "Teaching Cataloguing and Classification by Correspondence" (M.S. van der Merwe);"The Practical Component in the Education Programme of Students in Library and Information Science at UNISA" (Wanda Thomas); and "The Contribution of Distance Education to the Development of the Nursing Profession in Southern Africa" (Charlotte Searle). (LB)