The selection of candidates for ICREA positions is based on peer evaluation and has scientific excellence and leadership as its sole criteria. There are five evaluation panels, covering all areas of knowledge, with some overlap to cater for interdisciplinary and emerging fields.

The basic concept for the evaluation is that it essentially depends on the judgment of high profile experts. We do not want to rely on quantitative measures of academic output, but rather on the well-informed judgment of the experts in recognising excellence. We strive for quality, not quantity.

ICREA fully endorses and shares the principles of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (SFDORA), by which it discourages evaluators to rely only on journal-based metrics (such as Journal Impact Factors) as a surrogate measure for the quality of individual research articles. For the purposes of research assessment, ICREA considers the value of all research output, including qualitative indicators of research impact, such as influence on policy and practice.

ICREA is an equal opportunity organisation and does not allow discriminatory references to gender, age, nationality, racial group, nor any other possible discriminatory issues.