In a knowledge intensive society, the research university is a key institution for social and economic development. Focused on the discovery of new knowledge and the development of the next generation of scholars, research universities are also becoming more international in focus. This article presents the Emerging Global Model (EGM) of the research university in the 21st century, a description of the top stratum of research universities worldwide. EGM has eight characteristics: global mission, research intensity, new roles for professors, diversified funding, worldwide recruitment, increasing complexity, new relationships with government and industry, and global collaboration with similar institutions. The worldwide reach of the EGM means that nation-states have less influence over their universities than in the past; the article ends with a discussion of the implications for both government and campus leaders. (Contains 1 note.)