History of the Center for International Higher Education
1994-1999: Start of CIHE
1994
Philip G. Altbach joins Boston College faculty in 1994 from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
1995
Altbach Appointed J. Donald Monan, SJ University Professor
CIHE Established
The Center for International Higher Education (CIHE) is established in 1995, with Philip Altbach as director. The Center is allocated office space at 207 Campion Hall. The Center’s staff included Philip Altbach as director, Salina Kopellas as administrative assistant, and two graduate assistants, one funded by the Monan Chair and one by the School of Education.
First Issue of International Higher Education
In 1995, the first issue of ‘International Higher Education’ is published by CIHE through the BC Library System.
1996
Ford Foundation
In approximately 1996, a grant from the Ford Foundation is obtained for basic CIHE support. This grant continued for about 15 years with several renewals and a total allocation of about $1 million. The grant provided an additional GA position and funds for research and general support for CIHE.
In 1996, CIHE hosts its first professional development program, a program for senior administrators of the University of Amsterdam that aimed at providing an introduction to American higher education management.
1998
The first of many research-based conferences was held at BC in June 1998 on the topic of private higher education. The methodology used for this conference was later used for other CIHE projects—asking researchers to draft papers on a theme and discussing them at the conference and then revising for publication.
This conference included 50 researchers, policymakers, and leaders in private higher education from around the world. Main funding came from the Ford Foundation. Private Prometheus: Private Higher Education and Development in the 21st Century (Greenwood, 1999) included the papers from the conference.
2000-2015: Expansion and Enhancement
2004
New Century Scholars
In 2004, Philip Altbach is selected by the Fulbright agency to be the Distinguished Scholar Leader of the Fulbright New Century Scholars program, a two-year program that selected 31 scholars from around the world to work together on higher education themes. Three conferences, one at BC, were organized, along with various research themes.
2005
Global Perspectives on Higher Education
In 2005, a new book series, initially published by Sense Publishers, Global Perspectives on Higher Education, is launched.
2007
In 2007, Laura Rumbley is hired as research associate of CIHE, after BC approves an additional staff member.
2013
Philip G. Altbach Retires
In 2013, Philip G. Altbach retires from his tenured full-time professorship as the Monan Chair and is appointed Research Professor at BC. From 2013 to 2015, he continues as director of CIHE
In 2013, IHE is launched electronically, via the BC library system.
2014
Beginning in 2014, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, through its Africa program, provides funding to CIHE for work focused specifically on Africa. This project, coordinated by former CIHE doctoral graduate Damtew Teferra, from his position at Kwazulu Natal University, produced three HEFAALA (Higher Education Forum for Africa, Asia and Latin America) conferences and supported the launch of the International Journal of African Higher Education and the International Network for African Higher Education.
2015-2020: New Leadership and Further Expansion and Innovation
2015
Hans de Wit Appointed
In 2015, Hans de Wit is appointed CIHE Director and Professor of the Practice in the Lynch School of Education.
2016
Dual Degree Program
In 2016, new academic programs in International Higher Education are launched, including a Certificate program, an MA program (now a specialist track through the MA in Higher Education) and a Dual Degree program with the Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico.
CIHE Perspectives
In 2016, CIHE launches an in-house open access series, CIHE Perspectives, which publishes work by CIHE staff and affiliates, as well as the proceedings of conferences sponsored by the Center.
WES-CIHE Summer Institute
In 2016, CIHE, in cooperation with and sponsored by World Education Services (WES) launches the annual WES-CIHE Summer Institute for early career researchers. The Summer Institute represents one of CIHE’s key missions, i.e. to support the next generation of international higher education researchers around the world.
2017
In 2017, the Center launches a new book series, Studies in International Higher Education, in collaboration with the Centre for Global Higher Education at the Institute of Education, London. The series ends in 2023 when Sage India stops publishing books, although all books in the initial series are now available open access on the CIHE website.
2018
Betty Leask Visiting Professor
From 2018 to 2020, CIHE benefits from the presence of Betty Leask, Emerita Professor in International Higher Education at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, who assumes the role of Visiting Professor.
2019
Rebecca Schendel Appointed
In 2019, Laura Rumbley leaves BC, and Rebecca Schendel is appointed as her successor.
2020s: A New Leadership Model
2020
In Spring 2020, after being published independently by CIHE for 25 years, IHE begins to be published by DUZ Academic Publishers in Berlin, Germany, however with editorial independence fully intact. In the same year, and as the first issue under the new publisher, IHE’s 100 issue is published: ‘Unprecedented Challenges, Significant Opportunities?’
Gerardo Blanco Appointed
In November 2020, Hans de Wit steps down as CIHE Director of CIHE. The Center is reorganized with a distributed leadership structure. Gerardo Blanco – newly appointed Associate Professor of Higher Education – and Rebecca Schendel – former Associate Director – assume the roles of Academic and Managing Directors, respectively.
In 2021, the Educational Leadership and Higher Education Department in the Lynch School starts a new Executive EdD program in Higher Education. Chris R. Glass is hired as Director of the EdD program.
2023
Biennial CIHE Conference
The inaugural Biennial CIHE Conference on International Higher Education is held. The event brings together higher education researchers from around the world, in order to foster new connections and spark new research collaborations.