nanoGUNE will develop the Cooperative Research Center (CIC) concept which has been successfully implemented in various cases in the Basque Country. CIC accounts for “Centro de Investigación Cooperativa”, which means Cooperative Research Center in Spanish. CICs are promoted by the Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism of the Basque Government and are designed with the aim of creating an effective framework of collaboration that strengthens interdisciplinary basic and applied world-class research in order to provide technology transfer and promote competitiveness of the Basque Industry in strategic areas.

Besides, nanoGUNE has been awarded as the first Consolider Center by the Spanish Education and Science Council. Consolider Centers are created under the Consolider-Ingenio 2010 Program which funds the highest ranked Spanish research consortiums with world-class research lines at the forefront of Science and Technology.

The main objectives of CIC nanoGUNE are the following:

* To lead, support and coordinate research and development in nanoscience and nanotechnology in the Basque Country.
* To promote technology transfer and the development of a nanotechnology-based Industry.
* To support new academia curricula and high-level training of researchers in nanoscience and nanotechnology.
* To foster networking and the creation of alliances with entities and regions all over the world.
* To strengthen the social use of research and the public understanding of science, including science and society issues.

Therefore, CIC nanoGUNE has been designed to address a wide range of activities, including:

* Excellence research
* Technology transfer and innovation related activities
* High-level training
* International cooperation
* Education and outreach