Technical staff play a fundamental role across the university. They prepare facilities for teaching, set up artificial intelligence or simulation equipment for medical and nursing students, carry out risk assessments for labs or decide on necessary control measures to ensure experiments are safe.
Technical staff also help researchers gather or analyse data, and provide practical solutions to complex ideas, born from a deep understanding of laboratory equipment and how it can be used.
In short, technicians – including laboratory, simulation, engineering, sports scientist and creative arts – support teaching, research, outreach and innovation.
So, what if universities made better use of that expertise and knowledge in decision-making committees? Or if they sought technical staff input on strategic projects such as building inclusive laboratories or planning undergraduate programmes? We see examples of this already with technical experts leading STEM categories of procurement consortia, which ensures that the sector gains better value for money.
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Some ways may not be obvious. For example, in facility design, technical knowledge can prevent further expenses, such as installing air conditioning to prevent the failure of ultra-low freezers. In programme or teaching committees, the expertise of technical staff can be used to improve experimental design, which allows students to understand and meet learning objectives better, or even design new sessions with academic colleagues.
In procurement, technical knowledge can provide better understanding of equipment such as mass spectrometers or biosafety cabinets to a non-scientist audience, such as procurement managers, and insight into other factors such as sustainability, future-proofing and after-sales support, which lead to better value for money.
In 2021, Midlands Innovation, a partnership of eight research-intensive universities to boost regional and national growth, surveyed technical staff in the region. The survey was led by its TALENT Policy Commission, which was set up to investigate and improve the status, skills and career pathways of technical staff in UK higher education and research. Of the survey respondents, 57 per cent felt that technical staff were not adequately represented in relevant decision-making committees, although 37 per cent believed that senior leaders did value technical staff knowledge and expertise.
Yet, technical staff have an appetite to contribute; almost three-quarters (71 per cent) of respondents would consider putting themselves forward to represent technical staff on decision-making committees.
The survey led to a recommendation from the commission to include technical staff on appropriate decision-making committees so their expertise could benefit both individual universities and the higher education sector.
Involving technical staff in decision-making committees can lead to technical staff feeling valued, and foster willingness to contribute further. This could result in more efficient ways of working, and less siloed thinking or practices and duplication of ways of working.
How do we, as the technical community, get our knowledge and expertise into university boardrooms? Here are tools and ideas:
- Talk to your line manager about the time and support needed to join institutional decision-making committees, attend meetings and facilitate recommendations.
- Seek out committee organisers who can invite technical staff and/or who lack technical expertise.
- Make notes about what you contribute or learn from meetings. Self-reflection is a powerful tool that can help in improving our contributions.
- Don’t be afraid to provide your expertise; don’t let imposter syndrome hold you back. If self-worth is an issue, look into courses to boost confidence, perhaps run at your institution, that might benefit you.
- Find out how much time is needed for committee participation. This will allow you to schedule it in your diary and identify what preparation is needed to support the committee.
- Remember you and your expertise are important; your knowledge could be the difference between a great decision and a bad one.
Having technical staff expertise and knowledge in such committees can bring so many benefits and has the power to unlock difficult collaborative decisions. This occurred around implementation and support of the return of staff and students following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Having attended a few in my time at Aston University, I am fortunate to be able to contribute and make a difference. I have had opportunities to provide expertise on inclusive, accessible laboratories that support students with hearing or sight difficulties and neurodiverse students. My technical expertise led to a patent for a dry powder-coating technology, which could be used to improve medicines and drug formulations. This patent was commercialised and led to a spin-out company, Aston Particle Technologies, of which I am a shareholder.
Technical staff can make a positive difference that benefits institutions and the whole sector, but only if they have the opportunities and confidence to contribute.
Jiteen Ahmed is head of technical services, university radiological safety adviser and radiation protection supervisor at Aston University.
Jiteen has been shortlisted in the Outstanding Technician of the Year category in the THE Awards 2025. The full list of nominees can be found here. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on 13 November.
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