About NOCS
The National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (formerly Southampton Oceanography Centre), is a collaborative Centre owned by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the University of Southampton. NOCS is based at a purpose-built waterside campus in Southampton, and is home to some 520 research scientists, lecturing support and seagoing staff as well over 700 undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Our mission
NOCS is the national focus for oceanography in the UK with a remit to achieve scientific excellence in its own right as one of the world's top five oceanographic research institutions. NOCS delivers a diverse mission, which ranges from managing the national research vessel fleet and other major facilities, to programmes of strategic research for NERC, and academic research and education in ocean and earth sciences in support of the University's mission.
NOCS activities also encompass major ocean technology development, long-term observations, managing international science programmes, promoting enterprise and knowledge transfer, providing advice to Government, business and charities, and the engagement between science and society. Moreover, the Centre is also specifically charged with working with the wider science community to provide strategic leadership, coordination and facilitation for the whole of the UK marine and related earth sciences.
How we operate
The formal basis for the existence, operation and governance of NOCS is laid out in an Agreement between the NERC and the University of Southampton. Governance at NOCS is primarily the responsibility of the NOCS Executive Board under the leadership of the Director, with high-level advice on vision and strategy provided by an Advisory Council. NOCS is organised into four divisions: the National Marine Facilities Division, the NERC Strategic Research Division, the School of Ocean and Earth Science and the underpinning Corporate Services Division. Our research is structured around seven cross-divisional research themes.
NOCS performance
NOCS performance is assessed against a wide range of measures, including international peer review, Teaching Quality Assessment, the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) and NERC's Science and Management Audit. For more information on the results of performance assessment, please see our Reviews section.
