Evaluating Impact

For guidance on how to fill in an initial self-assessment and for a template form please click below.

For guidance on how to fill in renewal self-assessment and for a template form please click below.

The Technician Commitment Maturity Framework has been developed with the community to support signatory organisations dedicated to championing their technical workforce. 

The framework is a tool to demonstrate progress, identify next steps and drive positive change for technicians in higher education and research.

It will help organisations make more informed technical workforce decisions. 
 

Clarity and transparency on progress 

The framework’s new maturity markers provide clarity and transparency on progress in each of the four pillars (visibility, recognition, career development, and sustainability) and identify clear next steps. 
 

The maturity markers are:   
 

• Embryonic: No action has been taken; the organisation has not yet initiated any activities in this area, although some maybe under initial consideration. 

• Emerging: Initial stages of action have begun; the organisation is in the early phases of development, planning, or exploration in this area .  

• Evolving: Noticeable progress has been made; the organisation has started to implement actions and is beginning to see initial outcomes and development in this area.  

• Embedded: Actions are fully integrated and established; the organisation has successfully incorporated practices and activities in this area as a core part of its operations and culture .  

Timeframes 
 

The Technician Commitment Maturity Framework will launch in 2027, replacing the existing Self-Assessment and Action Plan process for signatory organisations after the 31 July 2026 submissions.   

Pilot
 

A pilot is taking place to from July 2026 - January 2027 with five institutions, before the new framework is rolled out across the community. 

What is the Technician Commitment Maturity Framework? 

The Technician Commitment Maturity Framework is designed to support organisations dedicated to championing their technical workforce.It is used by universities and research institutions who are part of the Technician Commitment community to demonstrate progress, identify next steps and drive positive change for technicians in higher education and research. 

Why has this been introduced? 

In recent years the community has consistently asked for a framework for institutions to measure progress in the Technician Commitment.

The Technician Commitment Maturity Framework provides a more detailed and structured way to understand institutional progress against visibility, recognition, career development, and sustainability, and identify clear next steps. 

What are the benefits?

For organisations:

• This change will confidentially provide data, knowledge and understanding to improve strategic technical workforce planning.  
• The framework can act as a recruitment and retention tool.
• The maturity markers provide detailed and structured view of progress over time, helping institutions pinpoint strengths and focus areas - organisations will be able to generate a heat map using the date supplied in the framework.  

For technicial professionals:

• This change will improve visibility, recognition and career development opportunities for technicians.
• The framework will help you make informed recruitment and career decisions, clearly demonstrating institutions which support of the technical community.
• Opportunities to join the Peer Review College and support the wider assessment process. Contact us at tc@itss.org.uk if you are interested and want further details.

Will this mean extra work for the peer reviewers? 

• There will be no changes to the submission process and timelines for signatories. We have developed the process in partnership with existing peer reviewers to make sure it doesn’t increase workload for our peer reviewers. 
• The pilot phase allows us to test this further and make any further refinements before rolling it out wider.  

What exactly is changing? 

• There are some changes to the wording of questions in the submission forms although the number of questions remain the same.  
• The RAG analysis is evolving to a BRAG analysis; blue indicating business as usual.  
• Question 5 has been replaced with a more structured response to five criteria under each of the pillars.  
• The assessment criteria is being refined slightly and, once agreed in the pilot, full guidance will be shared with the community. 
• Peer review panels will be increased to four – with the chair facilitating allocation of maturity markers by the panel.

How will the peer reviewers be supported through the change? 

Dedicated training sessions will be organised for all peer reviewers impacted by this change. 

When will this change be rolled out across the community? 

Organisations in the pilot submit on 31 January 2027, and all other organisations will submit from July 2027 onwards using the new Technician Commitment Maturity Framework. 

Who has been involved in its development? 

Technical professionals attending signatory events (in Cardiff, London and Belfast), the UK ITSS Advisory Board and Technical Council, The Peer Review College and technical professionals at the 2025 UK Higher Education Technicians Summit.  

How does this differ from the TC Index and SAM Review? 

The Technician Commitment Maturity Framework is the new (and final) name for what has previously been referred to as the TC Index and SAM Review. The development has evolved after extensive engagement with the community, and we feel this name is reflective of the framework which has been developed.  

About the pilot 

When is the pilot taking place? 

Pilot institutions will submit their Technician Commitment Maturity Framework on 31 January 2027  

How many institutions can be involved in the pilot? 

Five institutions will be involved in the pilot. 

Is there criteria for institutions volunteering to be part of the pilot? 

The five pilot institutions will be selected from institutions due to submit in 2027 and represent the broad and diverse nature of the Technician Commitment Signatory community 

Why should my institution volunteer to be one of the Technician Commitment Pilot Institutions?  

Be an early adopter, spearhead change and support the community by helping to shape the process 

How does my institution volunteer to be one of the Technician Commitment Pilot Institutions?  

Organisations have been contacted by email with a submission form to complete by 31 July 2026.

When will the list of pilot organisations be confirmed? 

Mid-September 2026.