Application is made by university presidents based upon their plans for establishing a COE of the world's highest level within their graduate schools or research institutes.

• Eligible applicants
  PhD-level departments of graduate schools (including collaborating departments and university-attached research institutes).
  
  
• Funding period
  Five years
  
  
• Eligible fields
  All academic fields
  
  
• Funding scale
  From 10 thru 500 million yen of program funding per project per fiscal year
  
  
• Application receipt years
  2002, 2003, 2004

NOTE: Program announcement expired on March 5, 2004 and shall not be reissued.