Philip G. Altbach is J. Donald Monan, S.J. University Professor and Director, Center for International Higher Education, Lynch School of Education at Boston College. He was the 2004–2006 Distinguished Scholar Leader for the New Century Scholars initiative of the Fulbright program, and in 2010 was an Erudite Scholar of the Government of Kerala in India. He has had awards from the German Academic Exchange Service, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and others.

His most recent book, coedited with Jamil Salmi, is 'The Road to Academic Excellence: The Making of World-Class Research Universities'. He is author of 'Turmoil and Transition: The International Imperative in Higher Education', 'Comparative Higher Education, Student Politics in America', and other books. He coedited the International Handbook of Higher Education. Other recent books are 'World Class Worldwide: Transforming Research Universities in Asia and Latin America', 'Leadership for World-Class Universities: Challenges for Developing Countries' and 'Trends in Global Higher Education: Tracking an Academic Revolution'.