Marine Institute collaboration and partnerships

Partnership Research Institute for Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMaRE)

PRIMaRE, run within University of Plymouth, is a response to the challenges facing businesses involved in marine renewable energy and in support of Wave Hub, the South West of England’s £42 million development centre for testing of wave energy device arrays. 

The partnership has recently been extended to include Plymouth, Exeter, Bristol, Bath and Southampton universities. It also includes other organisations such as Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Marine Biological Association of the UK, Wave Hub and the South West Marine Energy Park.

The project collaborates with industry to support research and development activity across a number of areas for example, design, engineering and environmental impact.

Plymouth Marine Science and Education Foundation (PlyMSEF) 

Established for nearly 30 years, PlyMSEF is a charitable organisation aiming to promote and support marine science and education across the city and provides a formal connection between six renowned marine-themed institutions within Plymouth:

• DDRC Healthcare
• Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
• National Marine Aquarium
• Plymouth Marine Laboratory
• University of Plymouth Marine Institute
• Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science

A focus of the foundation is the annual provision of funds to enable selected students and early career scientists from these institutions to attend national and international scientific conferences, symposia, workshops or advanced training courses in the marine sciences. 

PlyMSEF also promotes marine science through public lectures and seminars in Plymouth and an annual Plymouth research student conference. The conference gives an opportunity for PhD students from across the city to meet and present their work to their peers and academics.

Naval connections

The University of Plymouth retains strong connections with the Royal Navy and the international merchant shipping sector. Chief among these is the Centre of Excellence in Naval Oceanographic Research and Education (CENORE), a joint venture between the University of Plymouth and other UK bodies with interest in naval applications of marine science. 

Based within University of Plymouth's Marine Institute, CENORE provides a focus for Royal Navy personnel seeking advanced academic degrees (MSc and PhD) and offers a platform for the development of research and enterprise activities of mutual interest to the Royal Navy and the University. 

Science connections are maintained through collaboration with the Flag Officer Sea Training (Hydrography and Meterology) section of the Navy (FOST HM), particularly sharing resources within our MSc Hydrography programme. The Marine Institute also maintains connections with the merchant navy through relationships with bodies such as the International Maritime Organisation, Nautical Institute and Chamber of Shipping.

Partnerships with business

The University of Plymouth Marine Institute is a corporate member of trade and industry organisations on behalf of the University, such as the Society of Maritime Industries, Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST), and the Society of Underwater Technology. 

We also support, through sponsorship, partners such as the RNLI, Seafarers UK and Seaman’s Mission. Each year the Marine Institute sponsors a swim around Burgh Island for the Chestnut Appeal for Prostate Cancer.

Partnerships for local marine conservation

University of Plymouth Marine Institute is a main partner, alongside local councils, managing the Wembury Marine Centre (WMC) run by Devon Wildlife Trust. 

A European marine site operating since 1998 and set within beautiful Wembury Bay, the WMC provides a centre for education and public outreach on marine life and marine conservation, with thousands of school children each year benefiting from talks and experiencing rockpool rambles. 

An internship scheme provides opportunities for University of Plymouth students to work at the centre and at Devon Wildlife Trust’s main headquarters in Exeter. 

Our research work within Lyme Bay has resulted in multiple partnerships with organisations from fishermen to government departments, in particular, working with charities such as the Blue Marine Foundation. 

With the National Marine Aquarium, the Marine Institute has been partnering with Fish2Fork, a restaurant reviewing charity focused on sustainable seafood, in order to assess and improve engagement with seafood sustainability across Plymouth. 

This has developed into a partnership with the city council and the Waterfront Partnership of Businesses and Restaurateurs in an effort to make Plymouth the world’s first Fish2Fork Blue City, where the majority of its restaurants are positively rated for their sustainable sourcing and providing customer's with information.

International partnerships

Targeting one of the Marine Institute's key aims, we have been actively developing collaborative partnerships with leading organisations abroad. 

One specific focus has been with marine and maritime institutions within China and the MI has memorandum of understandings signed with the Chinese Academy of Science’s Institute of Oceanology in Qingdao (IOCAS), their Guangzhou Institute for Energy Conversion and Shanghai Maritime University. 

A true collaborative partnership to jointly push forward important marine research issues, the relationship with IOCAS (China’s largest and most prestigious marine institute) has seen reciprocal exchange visits by staff, and three focus projects with young scientists from IOCAS spending several months in Plymouth working within our research centres. 

Current developments include partnerships within Sri Lanka, the Middle East and Brunei-Darussalam, but a main push across the city of Plymouth is looking towards 2020 and the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower. 

Planning is well underway for joint celebrations between Plymouth UK and Plymouth Massachusetts, upon which University of Plymouth is building exciting partnerships with marine and other institutions across New England.