The maximum funding duration is twelve years. The universities and other participating research institutions are required to provide adequate cost-sharing for staff, infrastructure, and equipment for the duration of funding. Proposals must meet high scientific standards. Collaborative Research Centres enable the universities to pursue ambitious and costly research undertakings through a local concentration and coordination of effort and available resources.
Specific attention has to be paid to the promotion of young scientists.
A characteristic feature of Collaborative Research Centres is cooperation across the boundaries of disciplines, institutes, departments, and faculties. The centres are encouraged to collaborate with researchers in other universities and research institutes in Germany and abroad as well as with industry and other partners in the private sector. The scientists involved in a Collaborative Research Centre decide on the scientific development and on all ongoing matters of their centre. Awards are made for periods of three years up to a maximum of twelve years. Each Collaborative Research Centre is evaluated every three years by a panel of peer reviewers on a two-day site visit.