The emerging research college or university is one of the most formidable resources a region has to reinvent and grow its economy. This paper is the first of two that outlines a process of building research universities that enhance regional technology development and facilitate flexible networks of collaboration and resource sharing. Although the strategies described were undertaken at larger public research universities, the paper's analysis of the factors influencing innovation, alongside key research management interventions, provides a framework for adapting this process to fit the needs of a full range of educational institutions. (Contains 1 table and 8 figures.)