The governance and management of a CRC requires infrastructures and management procedures that differ substantially from those in universities, research organizations and industry.  However, these CRC structures and procedures share numerous interfaces with the corresponding organisational environment and requirements of these institutions.

Therefore, when setting up a CRC, a very careful design of the management and governance structures is desirable.  However, in some cases, relevant cornerstones are imposed by the funding programme or agency behind the CRC.  Nevertheless, even then there is usually enough scope for individual design.  Also, there are CRCs that are unrestricted in the choice of their management and governance structures.

In this document will be found information and guidance indicating how to set up the legal and organizational basis of a CRC.  Even though the most appropriate structure might be contingent on the programme, country or thematic field in which any individual CRC operates, the reader will find a number examples and links that might contribute to the formation and implementation of individual concepts concerning research management and governance.