[en] Reduced transition strengths are sensitive signatures to describe collective excitations of atomic nuclei and the evolution of shell structures. They provide stringent tests of present shell-model interactions in the 0f1p shell along the N=Z line. Recently determined B(E2, 2${}_1^{+}$$\to <!--\; ???\; -->$ 0${}_{g.s.}^{+}$) values for ${}^{44}$Ti showed an enhanced collective behavior which was associated with core excitations from the sd-shell. However, there is a lack of information on precise values along the negative parity band in this nucleus. These states arise from a strong interplay between sd- and pf-shell orbitals and allow for refined tests of cross-shell contributions. In order to investigate the single-particle and collective characters of low-lying states, lifetime measurements employing the Recoil-Distance Doppler Shift (RDDS) and the Doppler-Shift Attenuation Method (DSAM) were performed at the FN tandem accelerator at the IKP, Cologne. Excited states in ${}^{44}$Ti were populated with a ${}^{40}$Ca(${}^6$Li,pn)${}^{44}$Ti fusion-evaporation reaction. The emitted $\mathrm{\gamma <!--\; ??\; -->}$ rays were detected by an array of 11 HPGe detectors. First lifetime results will be presented and compared to shell-model calculations including multi particle-hole cross-shell excitations.