VLIZ strengthens marine knowledge building and the excellence of marine research in Flanders. The marine work areas are the ocean and seas, the coast and tidal systems. The target groups for knowledge building are the marine research community as well as the educational field, the general public, policy makers and industry (in the context of the blue economy). VLIZ acts as coordination and information platform for marine and coastal-related scientific research in Flanders and serves as an international contact point. VLIZ has set up a strong collaborative network through its engagement in local, national and international cooperation agreements and networks. VLIZ conducts multidisciplinary research with high societal relevance and impact. The Climate-Ocean-Biodiversity nexus is at the forefront of VLIZ research. Within its Marine Observation Center, VLIZ holds extensive expertise in performing marine ecosystem observations and the generation of high-quality long-term datasets that can improve the understanding of the dynamics and changes in marine biodiversity and coastal ecosystems. The Marine Observation Center uses advanced and cost-effective techniques and develops smart measurement methods to monitor and analyze trends and changes occurring in the marine environment.