Partners and collaborations

PRIMaRE, established in 2009 by the Universities of Plymouth and Exeter, is a network of world-class research institutions based in the west, south, and south west of the UK who undertake research and development to address challenges facing the marine renewable energy industry at the regional, national and international level.

The core partnership further includes the universities of Bristol, Bath, Bangor, Cardiff and Southampton, as well as Plymouth Marine Laboratory, and many more (international) organisations and universities as associated partners.

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

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.

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 (SMI), Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST), and the Society of Underwater Technology (SUT).

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.

The 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 partnered with Fish2Fork, a restaurant reviewing charity focused on sustainable seafood, in order to assess and improve engagement with seafood sustainability across Plymouth.

This developed into a partnership with the city council and the Waterfront Partnership of Businesses and Restaurateurs resulting in Plymouth becoming the world’s first Fish2Fork Blue City, where the majority of its restaurants are positively rated for their sustainable sourcing and providing customers with information.

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.

Recent developments have included partnerships within Sri Lanka, the Middle East and Brunei-Darussalam, as well as the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower from the city of Plymouth to North America in 1620. These included 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.