NCK is a cooperative effort between private, governmental and independent research institutes and universities and carries out a research programme at the fore-front of coastal science and applied research. Within this framework, the Centre offers the opportunity to conduct innovative research as a member of a team. The NCK links the strongest expertise of its partners, forming a true centre of excellence in coastal research in The Netherlands.

In order to achieve the goals of the Dutch coastal research schemes a variety of research projects are being carried out. NCK has proven to be a successful platform at which mutual interaction takes place and results of various projects are integrated. These frameworks are amongst others:

• NWO/ALW (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific research, Earth and Life sciences)
• STW (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific research,Technology Foundation)
• WOTRO (Netherlands Foundation for the Advancement of Tropical Research)
• Netherlands LOICZ Programme Implementation Plan
• Delft Cluster research theme: Coasts and Rivers
• Joint Strategic Research Programme of Rijkswaterstaat-Waterdienst and Deltares
• Strategic RWS research programmes like Coast 2005 and Flyland
• ONR (Office of Naval Research, USA)
• Basic research funds of the NCK partners
• EC-funded ENCORA network programme

Many of these frameworks provide "shared cost financing" (e.g. EC framework programme, Delft Cluster), meaning that only part of the total costs of the project is funded. Other frameworks only provide financing for University research personnel or instruments.

Several times a year, the Centre organises workshops and/or seminars that are aimed at promoting cooperation and mutual exchange of information. NCK is open to researchers from abroad. Exchanges of young researchers are encouraged and possibilities for sabbaticals are pursued.

Through the participating institutes, researchers have access to several facilities. The universities offer computing facilities. Field data can be accessed from data banks at Rijkswaterstaat-Waterdienst and Deltares. The researchers of NCK may use numerical model systems developed at Deltares and Rijkswaterstaat-Waterdienst. Deltares and Delft University of Technology offer various hydraulic laboratory facilities. Advanced equipment for field measurements is available at Utrecht University and at Rijkswaterstaat-Waterdienst. Rijkswaterstaat- Waterdienst and the Netherlands Institute for Sea Research can provide research vessel support. Through access to these facilities the necessary opportunities to advance the frontiers of knowledge of coastal processes are provided.

NCK web site.