Our planet is a blue planet. Most of its expanse is covered by the ocean.
This vast space is the lifeblood of our world, regulating the environment even more than the Amazon rainforest. Yet so much of our ocean is yet to be discovered and its value is so often overlooked.
That is why we go further to gain a deeper understanding of our ocean and coastlines.
Through ground-breaking research, collaboration, and game changing innovation we will empower everyone to help them thrive. Our fate on this planet is bound up in our ocean and there is so much exciting power to harness in its depths. So here at NOC, we go deeper.
Our vision
For the NOC by 2025 to be seen as the world’s most innovative oceanographic institution.
Our mission
to make sense of changing seas, upon which future human prosperity and wellbeing depends.
Our purpose
To gain deeper knowledge of the ocean to help every living thing on our planet flourish.
We will prioritise
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- Undertaking and enabling impartial world-class science and technology development.
- Providing world-class research facilities and access to data and samples for the benefit of UK science.
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- Creating value and public benefit by supporting, with impartial scientific evidence, the development of public policy, hazard assessment, ocean governance and regulation, and sustainable development.
Acting as OneNOC, we will exploit the synergies across these different supporting pillars of our mission to drive novel and innovative approaches to our work, enabling us to do things that are distinctive and that few others could do.
We will help every living thing flourish by
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- Making sense of global environmental changes in which the ocean is deeply involved.
- Protecting people and economic infrastructure from marine-related disasters.
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- Advocating for the ocean by educating and engaging humankind in understanding its role in our lives.
- Sustainably developing marine-based economies whilst protecting the ocean’s future health.
We will demonstrate
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- Ambition We will always be bold. We will push for growth where it will achieve impact.
- Courage We are willing to work without fear or favour in the thick of science for contentious societal issues
- Confidence We see the opportunities and figure out how to lead the way there.
- Intelligence and innovation We take calculated yet well-informed actions, based on solid foundations. We challenge the depths of discovery, pushing boundaries and adapting quickly.
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- Inclusion We will break free of stereotypical ideas of what and who can advance science and technology, pushing for more diversity, drawing to NOC partners and all who share our ambition.
- Independence With our freedom and financial independence, which we must create for ourselves, we will have our own voice and invest in what we believe in.
- Collaboration Bringing together all our elements into OneNOC gives us the capability to meet our ambitions and be successful.
We will seek to invest over the next 5 years to
- Advance the science needed to deliver the ocean we want for the future, enabling us to explore the critical environmental challenges of climate change, pollution, biodiversity and habitat loss and their impact on society.
- Ensure that we are fit for the future, delivering digitally enabled science and engineering in a reduced carbon, built environment, enhanced for the collaboration of diverse groups of people.
- Transform our world-class facilities for the NERC Marine Observing and Research Community.
Our Values
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![The NOC Excellence icon - a star]()
Excellence
We value excellence as the foundation on which the NOC is built
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![The NOC Innovation icon - a lightbulb]()
Innovative thinking
We value considering different approaches, finding different ways of doing things and seeking creative solutions
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![The NOC Empowerment icon - a group of three people]()
Empowerment
We value people and teams as the NOC’s most important assets
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![The NOC Environment icon - a hand holding a coral with a fish in the background]()
Environmental responsibility
We value the ocean, recognising our reliance on it, and consider our environmental impact in everything we do
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![The NOC Integrity icon - a compass dial]()
Integrity
We value independence and integrity and treat each other with respect and trust
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![The NOC Partnership icon - three gears together]()
Working in partnership
We value the benefits of working together and actively seek to exchange knowledge, skills and resources
Go Deeper
The Ocean has the potential to provide the solutions to so many of the social, economic and environmental challenges we’re facing around the world. But to truly harness the value of the Ocean, we must have a better understanding of it. To do this, we’ll put Ocean research, science and discovery at the heart of our culture.
Brand resources
