Measure once, use many times

Authors: Clare F Postlethwaite, Rohan Allen, Chelsea Bradbury, Graeme
Duncan, Gaynor Evans, Laura Hanley, Laura Hewson, Dan Lear, Kieran Millard,
Charlotte Miskin-Hymas, Roseanna Wright

Read the MEDIN Business Plan 2024-2029 here. 

The Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN) is a collaborative and open partnership established in 2008 to provide the national framework for accessing and managing the UK’s valuable marine data resources. MEDIN supports all members of the UK marine community, a complex range of stakeholders who operate in the marine environment. Consisting of four main components (a coordinated network of specialist Data Archive Centres (DACs); a comprehensive online portal; metadata and data standards; and an active networking forum), MEDIN is internationally recognised as the hub for UK marine data.

The new MEDIN Business Plan outlines MEDIN’s plan for the next five years and sets out an ambitious and targeted programme to tackle the key data management objectives identified by our stakeholders in a changing data landscape. By 2029, delivery of this plan will see MEDIN provide measurable benefits to the UK economy, providing services, tools and expert advice, agnostic of the sector our users work in. Recognised as an independent broker, MEDIN will lead the marine data community and facilitate connections based on shared experience. We will advocate best practice marine data management throughout the data
lifecycle, supporting our partners at all stages of their organisations’ data maturity. Recognising our role in enabling multi-disciplinary and cross domain working, we will provide interoperable tools to support our users to link marine (meta)data with other data types, including non-spatial data (e.g. location independent socio-economic data).  As the flagship for managing UK marine data, we will provide the services that underpin a mature data infrastructure, with inbuilt flexibility to react to change, opportunities and innovation. 

Funded by a consortium of fifteen Sponsors and benefiting from in kind contributions from our committed network of Partners, MEDIN will use its annual budget to deliver the national framework for UK marine data. Furthermore, we will proactively seek capital and research investment for specific development projects to enhance the capability of the network. MEDIN will provide a detailed annual work programme and budget assessment based on this Business Plan and its supplementary material. We welcome new members, particularly from under-represented sectors, to join this vibrant and dynamic network.