The Solent boasts world-leading marine and maritime education and research establishments as a result of agglomeration effects that have supported a world-renowned business cluster in the region; these have strong expertise in the area and provide a key source of innovation, talent and emerging business.
The Solent has three Universities – Southampton, Portsmouth and Solent, each with significant specialisms in marine and maritime.
The University of Southampton:
– Home to the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute (SMMI), which constitutes world class, authoritative, independent expertise, spanning both the marine and maritime sectors.
– It is also home to the Wolfson Unit, enabling the industry to benefit from the facilities, academic excellence and research activities at the university, and is world renowned for ship model testing, sailing yacht performance and ship design software.
– Through world-leading research and enterprise activities, Southampton connects with businesses to create real-world solutions to global issues. It works with partners around the world to offer relevant, flexible education, which trains students for jobs not even thought of.
– It is one of the UK’s top research universities, with 33% of its research rated world-leading and a further 51% rated internationally-excellent in the most recent UK-wide assessment of the quality of research in UK universities.
University of Portsmouth:
– Centre for Enzyme Innovation is delivering transformative enzyme-enabled solutions for the circular recycling of plastics, seeking to solve one of the most pressing environmental issues facing our planet.
– Founded in 2019, the centre hosts a team of specialist multidiscipline researchers works carrying out world-class research and innovation from state-of-the-art facilities. It has been recognised as a global centre of excellence by UK Research and Innovation.
– The University of Portsmouth features The South Coast Centre of Excellence in Satellite Applications and The Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, with close links to international partners including NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The University of Southampton is also driving cutting edge research and international collaborations, with world-class facilities including Propulsion Labs and installations at Svalbard.
The Institute of Maritime Law (IML)
– A world leading centre for research, consultancy and training in maritime law, delivers world-class research as part of the Southampton Law School, nested within the Faculty of Social Sciences. Close ties with the shipping industry and legal profession ensure that the IML is best placed to conduct cutting edge research into maritime issues. It is composed of both academic and external experts and has established an international reputation as a world-leading centre in maritime law.
National Oceanography Centre (NOC):
– With a long tradition as an ocean science pioneer with world leading capabilities, the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton is one of the world’s top oceanographic institutions, providing the UK with the national capability needed to be a top global player and to lead and participate in international collaborations, including world leading research in large scale oceanography and ocean measurement technology innovation.
Space South Central:
– Solent Freeport offers an ideal location for manufacturing and innovation across the defence, space and civil aviation sectors and provides access to Space South Central, the UK’s largest regional space cluster.
– The organisation builds on the region’s rich ecosystem, with over 120 innovative businesses such as BAE Systems, Earth-I and In-Space Missions, driving over £3bn in annual revenue and £1.6bn in export revenue.
– The cluster is a partnership between regional industry and academia, designed to accelerate space business growth, foster innovation and provide a framework for knowledge exchange, project collaboration, and skills pipeline development.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
– An Executive Agency of the Department for Transport (DfT) providing a 24-hour maritime and coastal search and rescue emergency coordination and response service for the UK.
– The MCA produces legislation and guidance and provide certification to ships and seafarers. Through its survey and inspection regime, it enforces standards for ship safety, security, pollution prevention and seafarer health, safety and welfare.
Southampton is also home to the UK Ships Registry.