CICR a is network of professionals, scholars, and practitioners contributing to the resolution of international deadly conflict through research, education and practice. CICR’s partners strive to increase understanding of international conflicts through innovative and collaborative research and are committed to offering courses that disseminate knowledge about conflicts and their causes. CICR’s partners respond directly to the expressed needs of parties involved in ongoing conflicts, empowering individuals and organizations to address conflicts constructively. The research, education, training, and practice of the CICR’s partners inform one another, creating a unique synergy that enriches each element of the center's work. CICR’s partners also coordinate their efforts with academics and practitioners from governmental, non-governmental, and international organizations in joint research and action.

CICR tries to live by the following principles and practices:

• all CICR partners recognize each other and strive to support each other
• all CICR partners are directly responsible for their ideas, plans and actions; in order to improve, implement, and evaluate them, all partners seek advice and welcome feedback
• all CICR partners are committed to securing resources and to administering them properly
• transparency, openness, and an encouraging attitude are paramount and are practiced regularly
• the whole CICR community is constituted by all interactions among partners; it is assumed that if each individual activity is successful, the whole will also emerge as a success
• because paradoxical and unexpected results are always possible, frank and direct criticism is welcomed and encouraged
• all CICR partners commit themselves to use the available processes (especially the shared intranet site and the shared database) to maintain an environment of openness, collaboration, and accountability