BGS and the Natural History Museum’s ‘Research Partnership for the Future’ 2022
The Memorandum of Understanding reflects and builds on the two organisations’ shared history and sets out a roadmap for working collaboratively to deliver our joint ambitions.
20/01/2022 By BGS Press
On 20 January 2022, BGS and the Natural History Museum (NHM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) called Research Partnership for the Future. This partnership reflects and builds on the two organisations’ shared history and sets out a roadmap for working collaboratively to deliver our joint ambitions.
The partnership focuses on six strategic areas of shared interest:
- research
- collections
- digital and data resources
- provision of space and infrastructure
- public engagement and citizen science
- higher education and training
Earth science knowledge and expertise is core to addressing many of the most pressing issues facing society in the 21st century, from the decarbonisation of energy supplies to climate change mitigation.

Dr Doug Gurr, Natural History Museum Director, and Dr Karen Hanghøj, BGS Director, signing the Memorandum of Understanding. BGS © UKRI.
The agreement enables BGS and NHM to harness the expertise they have in these areas and to engage with key stakeholders and the public. Working together means we can provide greater access to our collections, data, research and people whilst generating further dialogue around the most pressing issues facing society and the planet, both today and in the future.
This partnership agreement will complement and enrich the delivery of our science strategy and ensures not only will we work together to deliver cutting-edge geoscience for a sustainable future, but also work collaboratively in inspiring and engaging the next generation of geoscientists.
Dr Karen Hanghøj, BGS Director.
Geoscience expertise has never been more important; it plays a critical role in combatting the planetary emergency — from sourcing sustainable supplies of the resources needed to transition to a green economy, to securing clean water. This agreement builds on our century-old relationship and outlines our shared commitment to scientific excellence and discovery, making geosciences as inclusive as possible — and engaging the public with science-led solutions.
Dr Doug Gurr, Natural History Museum Director.
Relative topics
Download a copy of the MoU
BGS NHM MoU – Research Partnership for the Future 2022
Related news

Dr Marie Cowan awarded the Energy Group Medal by the Geological Society
18/05/2023
This award is presented annually to individuals with a geoscience background who have made an outstanding contribution to the energy industry.

BGS appoints new members to Science Advisory Committee
17/05/2023
Four new members’ three-year terms begin in June 2023.

AGS file utilities tool: production release
16/05/2023
BGS’s online tool for validating AGS files against the official AGS data format rules and its own NGDC data submission requirements goes live.

BGS releases 10K maps through updated maps portal
16/05/2023
BGS releases an updated maps portal, which allows users to view all publicly available, maps and includes 10 000 and 1:10 560 scale maps for the first time.

BGS maps out priorities with five-year strategy
11/05/2023
BGS publishes its new strategy for 2023 to 2028, ‘Understanding our Earth’.

Improvements to borehole delivery
25/04/2023
BGS releases improvements to its borehole layer on the GeoIndex, which makes access faster and improves quality.

Report identifies areas of the UK prospective for critical raw materials
17/04/2023
Areas from the Highlands to south-west England have the right geology to be prospective for several critical raw materials such as lithium and graphite, according to a new report.

World Mineral Production 2017 to 2021 is now available
14/04/2023
The latest edition of World Mineral Production has been released.

How does public water use influence the amount of phosphorus in the environment?
11/04/2023
New research looks at how phosphorus accumulates in public water systems in the USA.

Scientists discover regions of the UK with greatest potential to use heat from deep thermal waters
30/03/2023
BGS geologists have mapped the UK’s potential to use heat from thermal groundwater deep beneath central and southern Britain.

BGS laboratories become first in UKRI to receive gold LEAF accreditation
28/03/2023
BGS achieved gold certification in the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) accreditation in March 2023.

World Water Day 2023: groundwater photo stories
22/03/2023
A showcase of groundwater use from around the world highlighting how developing groundwater has benefited the lives of many people.