Amit Savkar has been appointed Provost’s Special Advisor on Continuing, Professional, and Workforce Education. He will lead the development of a strategy to expand the reach, visibility, and impact of UConn’s offerings in this area, including microcredentials, digital badges, and other short-form non-credit learning opportunities. This work will connect UConn’s academic expertise with emerging workforce needs and expand opportunities for people to engage with the University throughout their education and careers.
Savkar brings extensive UConn experience in educational innovation and academic leadership. A professor in residence in the Department of Mathematics and director of the Quantitative Learning Center (Q Center), he previously served as interim associate vice provost and director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL). As a UConn Teaching Fellow, he has developed online courses and used technology and assessment to strengthen student learning. His experience also includes leading educational programming for the QuantumCT Engine, connecting his work in education with the development of Connecticut’s emerging technology workforce.
In this role, Savkar will assess the range of UConn’s existing offerings, identify strengths and opportunities for growth, and help establish a clearer, more recognizable presence for UConn in continuing, professional, and workforce education. He will engage employers, industry associations, and public agencies to understand their needs and work with academic partners to identify where UConn is well positioned to respond.
This strategy will encompass opportunities for working professionals and adult learners, as well as supplemental learning opportunities for current UConn students. It will also explore how offerings can build on one another, including through microcredentials and badges, to give learners meaningful ways to develop and demonstrate expertise.
Savkar will work closely with the Provost’s Office, Office of Continuing and Professional Education, The Graduate School, and other academic leaders across our campuses.
His work will complement the task force led by Lauren Schlesselman, Executive Director of Academic Program Assessment, and C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor and Head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice, which is examining how microcredentials are defined, structured, and governed at UConn. The task force’s work will inform the University’s approach to these credentials, while Savkar’s broader charge will connect educational opportunities with demand, external partnerships, and a coordinated strategy.