The VQR is based on criteria and procedures defined by the Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR) and by ANVUR. The Agency relies on the work of Evaluation Expert Panels (GEV), organized into 17 disciplinary areas and 2 interdisciplinary areas related to the evaluation of knowledge transfer activities and research infrastructures.
The GEVs are responsible for supporting ANVUR in defining specific criteria for each disciplinary area, carrying out the evaluation, and providing an overall assessment of the research outputs and reports submitted by the Institutions.

The main phases of the evaluation procedure are as follows:

1. Publication of the Ministerial Decree (DM) launching the VQR by the MUR.
    
2. Publication of the Call for Evaluation by ANVUR, which incorporates the provisions of the DM and provides operational details for carrying out the evaluation exercise.
    
3. Appointment of the GEVs by the ANVUR Governing Board, from among those who expressed interest following a public call.
    
4. Detailed definition of the evaluation criteria specific to the disciplinary and interdisciplinary areas by the GEVs.
    
5. Submission by the Institutions, according to the rules set by ANVUR, of research outputs, case studies on knowledge enhancement, infrastructure reports, and the list of international competitive projects.
    
6. Evaluation by the GEVs appointed by ANVUR of the outputs and reports submitted.
    
7. Approval of the evaluations by the ANVUR Governing Board.
    
8. Transmission of the performance indicators to the MUR, for the allocation of the performance-based share of the Ordinary Financing Fund (FFO).
    
9. Publication of the evaluation results, for the entire research system and at the level of each Institution and scientific disciplinary and interdisciplinary area.
    

The most recent VQR Call adopted by the Agency was approved in 2023 and refers to the 2020–2024 five-year period.