Our vision for the NOC is by 2025 to be seen as the world’s most innovative oceanographic institution.
Our mission
Our main mission as the National Oceanography Centre is to make sense of changing seas, upon which future human prosperity and wellbeing depends. The way in which we intend to achieve our mission is by
Undertaking and enabling world-class science and technology development;
Providing large research facilities and access to data and samples for the benefit of UK science
Creating value and public benefit by supporting, with scientific evidence, the development of public policy, hazard assessment, ocean governance and regulation, and sustainable development
Going forwards, we will better 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.
Our strategic goals
Our Strategic Goals are a balanced series of aims that will help us work together as ‘one NOC’ in driving forwards the whole organisation towards our common vision. Under each of these goals are high-level Strategic Objectives that emphasise integration and innovation.The first four goals relate directly to different aspects of our primary purpose of advancing science;
Goal 1: Undertake internationally excellent research and technology development to advance the frontiers of knowledge about the ocean
Goal 2: Create public benefit from all of the NOC’s capabilities
Goal 3: Successfully translate world-leading and innovative research and technology developments to achieve wider impact
Goal 4: Provide world-class underpinning capabilities that enable the UK and global ocean scientific endeavourThe remaining three goals enable those above:
Goal 5: Responsibly grow and diversify revenue to sustain our mission with a critical mass of scientific and technical capability
Goal 6: Transform the way the NOC is governed and operated
Goal 7: Invest and reinvest in the NOC and its people
Defining our future
Our five year strategy is ambitious. It aims to preserve the very best of what we do, and grow our work - exploring new depths; creating the most innovative technologies; being the most exciting place to learn and work.
Through wide discussion across all levels of the NOC, we have reached consensus on our shared values. These are guiding not just what we do but how we do it and how we make decisions.
Excellence
We value excellence as the foundation on which the NOC is built
Innovative thinking
We value considering different approaches, finding different ways of doing things and seeking creative solutions
Empowerment
We value people and teams as the NOC’s most important assets
Environmental responsibility
We value the ocean, recognising our reliance on it, and consider our environmental impact in everything we do
Integrity
We value independence and integrity and treat each other with respect and trust
Working in partnership
We value the benefits of working together and actively seek to exchange knowledge, skills and resources