FAQs

The Technician Commitment is a university and research institution initiative, led by a steering board of sector bodies, hosted by the UK Institute for Technical Skills and Strategy.

The Commitment aims to ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in higher education and research, across all disciplines. Universities and research institutes are invited to become signatories of the Technician Commitment and pledge action to tackle the key challenges affecting their technical staff.

The UK Institute for Technical Skills and Strategy, based in Nottingham, is home of the Technician Commitment as of August 2023. Our mailing address is:

Technician Commitment 

c/o Institute for Technical Skills and Strategy

A08 RAD Building, Jubilee Campus, 

University of Nottingham

Nottingham NG8 1BB

Please email tc@itss.org.uk. From there, a member of the team will pick up your enquiry.

No, it is free to join.

Signatories of the Technician Commitment are the employers of technicians in higher education and research (universities and research institutes) who pledge to improve the visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability of technical careers.

If you are interested in signing up your institution to the Technician Commitment, email us at tc@itss.org.uk. We will then arrange a meeting to discuss any initial queries. Return a completed signatory form, signed by the leader of your organisation (e.g. Vice-Chancellor or Institute Director) and a nominated lead. Once you have returned the signed signatory form, we will work with your communications team to release a joint announcement stating your institution’s signatory status publicly.

Signatories must then submit a self-assessment and action plan, aligned to the themes of the Commitment 12 to 18 months after their announcement as a signatory and then every 3 years.

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Supporters of the Technician Commitment are organisations that engage with and support the technical community in higher education and research. Examples may include professional bodies, funding organisations, learned societies, professional networks and others.

If you are interested in signing up your institution to the Technician Commitment, email us at tc@itss.org.uk. We will then arrange a meeting to discuss any initial queries. Return a completed supporter form, signed by the leader or senior representative of your organisation and a nominated lead. Once you have returned the signed signatory form, we will work with your communications team to release a joint announcement stating your institution’s supporter status publicly.

Supporters are then expected to publish an action plan aligned with the themes of the Technician Commitment within the first 6 to 12 months of signing.

Signatories sign up to the Technician Commitment pledging to improve the visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability of technical careers.

Signatories submit a self-assessment and action plan, aligned to the themes of the Commitment 12 to 18 months after their announcement as a signatory and then every 3 years. The submissions are peer-reviewed by the Technician Commitment community with feedback returned to the institution. In addition, signatories should evidence that the ‘technician voice’ was present in developing the action plan and publicly state their Technician Commitment signatory status and institutional action plan on a dedicated and discoverable webpage, along with their named point of contact.

In creating action plans, institutions can identify strengths and weaknesses in their support and development of technical staff. This is an opportunity for universities and research institutes to find solutions, develop programmes, training and/or deliver events to improve the visibility, recognition and career development of their technicians. By signing the Technician Commitment, institutions pay attention to the needs of their technicians and can enact change to ensure they are well-equipped to continue supporting vital research and teaching in their institutions.

Signatories of the Technician Commitment are also invited to signatory events twice a year. These are day-long events where we share best practice, provide sector updates and offer networking opportunities for Technician Commitment leads.

Signatories are also eligible to apply for the Technician Collaboration Fund, a small grant scheme which offers support for projects addressing the aims of the Technician Commitment.

Technicians, technical managers and senior leaders are also welcome to sign up to our newsletter which provides updates on upcoming events, funding opportunities and recently published reports relevant to the technical community.

We are a network of over 115+ organisations within the UK and abroad. Joining this community can allow your technicians to collaborate with regional/national/international technical networks and tap into resources and ideas shared by fellow signatories.

ITSS is the home of the Technician Commitment, allowing it to exist within a bed of national expertise.

The Institute acts as a conduit for the technical voice, working in partnership with funders, membership organisations and supporting partners to accelerate and fulfil the potential of UK technical skills and careers across higher education, research and innovation. 

The Institute integrates the Technician Commitment community with new national technical networks (eg Technnology Specialists Network, Strategic Technical Leadership Network and Herschel Leaders alumni). Find out more about the institute here at itss.org.uk.

The TALENT Programme was launched in 2020, 3 years after the first signatories signed the Technician Commitment. It was created as a research laboratory to pilot new ideas and interventions with the Midlands Innovation technical community to influence culture change and empower technicians.

The TALENT Programme is funded by Research England, part of UK Research and Innovation. 

It aims to lead and influence change to advance status and opportunity for technical skills, roles and careers in UK higher education and research. The programme will conclude in March 2025. Find out more at mitalent.ac.uk.