Passionate about Technical Education in HE
Hello, I’m Dr. Tim Savage. I have spent over two decades at the intersection of academic leadership, professional services, and workforce development. My early training was in photography, a technical art form where success relies on a complimentary blend of theoretical knowledge and practical skills. This foundation ignited my lifelong passion for helping universities create environments, facilities, and staffing that integrate theory and practice to support learning, innovation, and sector-leading educational experiences.
My career in higher education has allowed me to build and manage award-winning multidisciplinary technical teams, recognised as exemplars in the UK and internationally. My philosophy is rooted in a combination of experience and ground-breaking research, influencing sector practice and policymaking across the creative arts, STEM fields, learning and teaching, scholarship, and research.
Access my publications here: ORICD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6349-0535
My Approach
Practical. Strategic. Collaborative.
I create real-world solutions that combine:
- Strategic clarity aligned to academic and institutional goals
- Pragmatic, actionable plans rooted in operational reality
- Innovative thinking to address sector-specific challenges
- Deep collaboration across academic, technical, and professional teams
- A clear focus on enhancing student experience and graduate outcomes.
My experience that I bring to your institution
- Former Director of Technical Learning (University for the Creative Arts) leading technical and professional services transformation across five campuses
- A PhD focussed upon how technicians teach and support learning
- AdvanceHE Principal Fellow (PFHEA)
- TALENT Policy Commissioner (UKRI) shaping policy for technicians in higher education.
- Technician Commitment Board Member and Research Advisor to the UK Institute for Technical Skills and Strategy (ITSS)
- Led strategic planning and delivery of specialist facilities, new campuses, and international ventures across the UK and internationally
- Award-winning leadership recognised through sector awards and institutional successes (including HETS, ‘Best Technical Team in UK HE’, and achieving TEF ‘Outstanding’ for ‘Academic Support’)
- Speaker, mentor, and published researcher on technical pedagogy, workforce development, and educational strategy
For the full picture, download my CV here.