Alan Ruby has a long career in government, business, philanthropy, and education ranging from classroom teacher to Australian deputy secretary of education to chair of the OECD education committee. At the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Ruby, a Senior Fellow in the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy (Penn AHEAD), focuses on globalization’s effects on universities and education around the world. A highly regarded teacher, he leads graduate seminars on “Globalization and the University.” He earned the School’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2006. Since early 2018 he also served as the initial director of the Global Engagement office at Penn GSE advising the Dean on ways to increase the school’s international impact.

He currently serves as a Trustee of Nazarbayev University and the Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools in Kazakhstan. He has served as a consultant to the Government of India, the World Bank, the HEAD Foundation in Singapore, higher education officials in Bhutan and Indonesia, and to the American Institutes of Research. In 2015 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to international education through global reform initiatives, and his work with philanthropic organizations. He reviews for the Journal of Studies in International Education (2016) and Online Learning Journal (2015- 2017).

Mr. Ruby was a senior executive of one of the world’s premier grant making groups, the Atlantic Philanthropies, and served as director of the Human Development Sector for the East Asia Region of the World Bank, where he led the World Bank’s programs in education, health, and social insurance in 12 countries including China, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Mr. Ruby served for over six years as Australia’s Deputy Secretary of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs, where he was responsible for primary and secondary education, higher education, and vocational education and training. He chaired the education programs of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), spearheading the development of education metrics comparing school results across member countries including the development of a new assessment regime (PISA). He was also a member of the Scientific Advisory Group that created the framework for the flagship OECD publication Education at a Glance. Early in his career, he was a teacher and an official in the state government of New South Wales.

Research Interests and Current Projects

Mr. Ruby maintains a longstanding interest in education reform, globalization, alliances between unions and governments, and the role of education in developing economies. In collaboration with Mathew Hartley he is examining the ways universities and colleges pursue their academic and service missions in different economic and national settings.

Publications

Featured

Higher Education Reform and Development: The Case of Kazakhstan

Selected Publications

Jonbekova, D., Ruby, A., Kerimkulova, S., Sparks, J., Jumakulov, Z., Kim, T., & Serkova, E., (2024). Maximizing the benefits to the nation from government scholarships for international education in Kazakhstan. Central Asian Bureau for Analytical Reporting. https://cabar.asia/en/maximizing-the-benefits-to-the-nation-from-government-scholarships-for-international-education-in-kazakhstan

Ruby, A., & Lin, J. (2023, July 15). QS’ global university rankings revamp is a leap backwards. University World News. https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20230710212521782

Ruby, A. (2023, April 1). Russian in Egypt’s schools: A new take on “The Great Game.” University World News. https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20230328133738786

Jonbekova, D., Serkova, E., Kerimkulova, S., Jumakulov, Z., Sparks, J., & Ruby, A. (2022). Mezhdunarodnoe obrazovanie I vklad v razvitie svoei strany: Opyt vypusknikov gosudarstvennyh stipendialnyh programm Kazakhstana [International education and contribution to the development of their country: Experience of graduates of state scholarship programs of Kazakhstan]. SDU Bulletin: Social Sciences, 61(4), 12–25. https://doi.org/10.47344/sdubss.v61i4.893

Jonbekova, D., Serkova, Y., Mazbulova, Z., Jumakulov, Z., & Ruby, A. (2022). How international higher education graduates contribute to their home country: an example from government scholarship recipients in Kazakhstan [Blog post]. Higher Education Research & Development – Taylor & Francis Online.

Kim, T., Jonbekova, D., Kerimkulova, S., Jumakulov, Z., Sparks, J., & Ruby, A. (2022). Trudoustroystvo vypusknikov s mezhdunarodnym obrazovaniyem: Problemy ekonomiki i soprotivleniye izmeneniyam [Employment of international education graduates: Issues of economy and resistance to change]. Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Journal on Educational Sciences, 73(4), 4–13. https://doi.org/10.26577/JES.2022.v73.i4.01

McLaughlin, C., & Ruby, A. (Eds.) (2021). Implementing Educational Reform: Cases and Challenges. Cambridge University Press.

Jonbekova, D., Kim, T., Kerimkulova, S., Ruby, A., & Sparks, J. (2021). Employment of international education graduates: Issues of economy and resistance to change. Higher Education Quarterly, 75(4), 618–633.

Ruby, A, & Li, A. (2020). The mobility of education policy in the 21st century. FIRE: Forum for International Research in Education, 6(3) 83–93.

Allen-Platt, C., Gerstner, C.-C., Boruch, R., & Ruby, A. (2020). Toward a science of failure analysis: A narrative review. Review of Research in Education.

Ruby, A., & Fish, W. (2020, November 28). COVID-19 highlights public service role of universities. University World News.

Ruby, A. (2020, September 19). Is there a right balance between security and knowledge? University World News.

Jain, E., & Ruby, A. (2020, July 25). Can India achieve its enrolment target post-pandemic? University World News.

Ruby, A. (2020, July 13). Ban controversy is lesson in participatory democracy. University World News.

Ruby, A. (2020, April 24). The four questions facing university leaders during the COVID-19 crisis. Times Higher Education.

Li, A., & Ruby, A. (2020). The Belt and Road Initiative and new higher education spaces: Potentials and obstacles. International Higher Education, 103.

Ruby, A. (2020, January 5). How China’s higher education development outpaced India’s. Times Higher Education.

Hartley, M., Ruby, A., & Baghday, A. (2019). The pursuit of excellence: Case studies from Qatar. Qatar Foundation Research Report.

Villarreal, P., & Ruby, A. (2018). Government models for financing higher education in a global context: Lessons from the U.S. and U.K. Penn AHEAD, Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.

Ruby, A. (2018). Long & short views: Political & policy contexts for international education research. In S. Saubert (Ed.), NAFSA Research Symposium Series, Volume 2, Washington D.C.

Kumar, V., Ruby, A., & Hartley M. (2018, April 12). Who’s afraid of university autonomy? Scholars have nothing to lose but their chains. Times of India.

Kuzhabekova, A., & Ruby, A. (2018). Raising research productivity in a post–Soviet higher education system: A case from Central Asia. European Education, 1–17.

Ruby, A., & Li, A. (2018, April 12). China’s overseas investment should not neglect education. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A., Kumar, V., & Hartley M. (2018, April 3). Selecting world class institutions: How to choose the best. Economic Times.

Li, A., & Ruby, A. (2018, March 23). The quality conundrum in higher education. University World News.

Ruby, A., Kumar, V., & Hartley, M. (2018, January 4). Why Modi’s announcement of a competition to identify 20 top Indian Universities will actually improve higher education. The Times of India.

Ruby, A., & McLaughlin, C. (2017). Teachers’ work practices in Kazakhstan: Some comparative insights from TIMMS 2011 to guide curriculum implementation. Journal of Educational Sciences, 4(53).

Hartley, M., & Ruby, A. (2017). Parallel reforms: Nazarbayev intellectual schools and Nazarbayev University. Pedagogical Dialogue, 3(21). Center of Excellence, Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools Astana, 31–33.

Ruby, A., & Hartley M. (2017, September 15). What freedoms do ‘institutions of excellence’ need? University World News.

Hartley, M., & Ruby, A. (Eds.) (2017). Higher education reform: The case of Kazakhstan. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Hartley, M., & Ruby, A. (2017). University partnerships. In J. Martin & J. E. Samuels (Eds.), Consolidating colleges & merging universities: New strategies for higher education leaders. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Ruby, A. (2017). Theory and reality: Research, history and brevity. International Educator, September issue, pp. 10 & 12.

Ruby, A. (2017, August 18). Worrying about international student demand? Look at the fundamentals and look beyond. NAFSA. [Blog post].

Ruby, A. (2017, July 28). A day at a U.S. graduation ceremony: What to expect. Times Higher Education.

He, Y., & Ruby A. (2017). A Chinese branch campus in Malaysia. International Higher Education, 88 (Winter), 3–4.

Ruby, A., Kuzhabekova, A., & Lee, J.T. (2017). International faculty recruitment in Kazakhstan: The case of Nazarbayev University. In L. Rumbley, P. Altbach, & M. Yudkevich (Eds.), International faculty in higher education. New York: Routledge.

Ruby, A. (2016, October 14). The importance of keeping globally engaged. University World News.

Hudzik, J., with Charles, H., Green, M., Kinser, K., Lee, J.L., Olds, K.,Ruby, A., & Teekens, H. (2106). Brexit and its implications for higher education internationalization. Trends and Insights, NAFSA, September.

Ruby, A. (2016, June 21). The Brexit vote signals “You are not welcome here.” University World News.

Ruby, A., & He, Y., (2016, August 27). Developing the first Chinese university branch campus in Malaysia. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. , (2016, July 14). The untold story of Middle America's regional universities. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A., (2016, April 13). How Don Nakanishi overcame prejudice in the academy. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2016, February 12). Implementing stronger and more credible student assessment. Education for Global Development. [Blog post].

Ruby, A., & Kent, D. (2016). Investing in learning outcomes: Findings from an independent review of the Russian Aid for Development (READ) trust fund. Washington, D.C.: World Bank.

Ruby, A., Perna, L., Boruch, R., & Wang, N. (2015). Are there metrics for MOOCS from social media? Online Learning Journal, 19 (5).

Ruby, A. (2015). Will universities survive the 21st Century? In Asian Universities in New Times, THF Workshop Reports #2, The Head Foundation, Singapore 2015.

Ruby, A. (2015). Globalization and the university: A relationship worth Studying? In B. Spooner (Ed), Globalization: The crucial phase . Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.

Boruch, R., & Ruby, A. (2015). To flop is human: Inventing better scientific approaches to anticipating failure. In R. Scott & S. Kosslyn (Eds.), Emerging trends in the social and behavioral sciences. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

Ruby, A. (2015, July 30). How the 99 per cent learn: America’s overlooked successes. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2015, May 14). A pick ‘n’ mix programme can be an incoherent one. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. Review of 14-18: A New Vision for Secondary Education by Kenneth Baker et al. Education Review, 22. April 2015. http://edrev.asu.edu/index.php/ER/article/view/1863

Ruby, A. (2015, April 9). Generation Y are failing to put money where their mouths are. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2015, January 29). U.S. student debt: Borrowing the long and lending the short of it. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2015, January 8). Super-sized system offers more choice than the McDonald’s menu. Times Higher Education.

Perna, L. W., Ruby, A., Boruch, R. F., Wang, N., Scull, J., Ahmad, S., & Evans, C. (2014). Moving through MOOCs: Understanding the progression of users in massive open online courses. Educational Researcher.

Ruby, A. (2014, November 27). The discounting trend at US universities. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2014, October 16). A welcome clash of academic cultures. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2014). Preparing global citizens. The International Educator.

Ruby, A. (2014, September 11). How a small university maintains its big international reach. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2014, May 1). Heavy weather: Fiscal clouds and MOOC waves in the sunshine state. Times Higher Education.

Perna, L., & Ruby, A. (2014). Cautious towards MOOCs. ScienceGuide.

Chi, P. T., Ruby, A., & Linh, H. H. (2014). Mid-term review of the Vietnamese-German University. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank.

Ruby, A., & Sarinzhipov, A. (2014). Towards the next stages of educational reform in Kazakhstan. In D. Bridges (Ed.), Educational reform and internationalization: The case of school reform in Kazakhstan. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Ruby, A., & McLaughlin, C. (2014). Transferability and the Nazarbayev intellectual schools: Exploring models of practice transfer. In D. Bridges (Ed.), Educational reform and internationalization: The case of school reform in Kazakhstan. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Ruby, A. (2013, November 28). State interventionism. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A., & Jaramillo, A. (2013). A buyer’s guide to branch campuses. In D. Araya & P. Marber (Eds.), Higher education in the global age: Policy, practice and promise in emerging societies. New York, NY: Routledge.

Ruby, A., & Boruch R. (2013, September 5). Failure analysis. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2013). Benchmarking higher education. In A. Jaramillo (Ed.), The 100 universities study: University governance in the Middle East and North Africa. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank.

Ruby. A. (2013, June 27). Big, bold and highly accessible. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2013). Market trends for international students—2020: Trends and Insights. Washington, D.C.: NAFSA. (Also published in The International Educator, March 2014, and in ScienceGuide as Where will international students go?, 10 June 2013.)

Perna, L., & Ruby, A. (2013). The silver bullet of education. ScienceGuide.

Ruby, A. (2013, May 9). Massive, open, online appraisals. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2013). A few global trends and points of commonality in quality assurance in higher education. In T. Regan & A. Saginkyeva (Eds.), Eurasian higher education leaders forum conference proceedings. Nazarbayev: Nazarbayev University.

Ruby, A. (2013, February 28). Adapt, survive, and thrive. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2013, January 10). More to MOOCs than moolah. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2013). Tinker, tailor. In L. W. Perna (Ed.), Preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs in metropolitan America. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Ruby, A. (2012, 1 November). Bologna tasters enter US menus. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2012, 4 October). Take and give. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2012, 9 August). Beyond a joke. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2012, 12 July). Recommended reading. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2012, 26 June). A utilitarian view of rankings. Trends and Insights for International Education Leaders. Washington, D.C.: NAFSA.

Ruby, A., & Kelly, S. (2012). Status update: Actively engaging our friends. Times Higher Education.

Ruby, A., & Jaramillo, A. (2011). A buyers guide to branch campuses. University World News.

Ruby, A. (2011). Moving past the agent debate. Trends and insights for international education leaders. Washington, D.C.: NAFSA.

Hartley, M., & Ruby, A. (2011, March 29). A little supervision is a good thing. The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Jaramillo, A., Ruby, A., Henard, F., & Zaapanne, H. (2011). Internationalization of higher education in MENA: Policy issues associated with skills formation and mobility. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank.

Ruby, A. (2010, November 18). The not so open door. Inside Higher Ed.

Choudaha, R., & Ruby, A. (2010). Foreign borders: Putting national needs first. University World News.

Ruby, A. (2010). India: Selling services or spreading light? University World News.

Ruby, A. (2010, January 29). India is opening up. The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Ruby, A. (2010). The uncertain future for international higher education in the Asia Pacific. Washington, D.C.: NAFSA.

News & Media

Penn GSE News

Alan Ruby discusses success of India’s universities in achieving sustainable development

India is the best represented nation in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, which measures universities’ social and economic impact.

August 9, 2024

Alan Ruby questions QS's new model for ranking graduate schools

The first revisions in nearly 20 years reinforce old ideas by focusing on male alums, says Ruby in a column for University World News.

July 15, 2023

Penn GSE and Anant National University collaborate on Future of Learning event in Ahmedabad, India

With a shared interest in designing more effective and inclusive learning strategies, Penn GSE and Anant National University hosted three dozen international educators for the Future of Learning International Design Collaborative March 28–30 in Ahmedabad, India.

May 12, 2023

Creating a World of Opportunity: Penn GSE Partners for Global Impact

In locations around the globe, Penn GSE is forging new paths and setting new precedents for meaningful change in education.

October 23, 2019

Ten Years of Penn GSE Fieldwork in Kazakhstan

In Penn GSE’s first Faculty Global Seminar, Alan Ruby described how the school’s collaboration with leaders in Kazakhstan has helped launch a university.

October 3, 2018

In the Media

International student enrollment boost aligns with ‘top’ schools after pandemic drop: experts

Alan Ruby explains that the decline in Chinese student enrollment might be due to Chinese pandemic policies and reduced support of secondary support by the Chinese government.

The GW Hatchet | April 3, 2023

Questions over implementation as India approves system overhaul

Alan Ruby commented on India’s plans to overhaul its higher education system. “The big story is the commitment to growing the total size of the sector by adding 35 million places, effectively doubling the current infrastructure,” he said.

Times Higher Education (U.K.) | August 4, 2020

QS IGAUGE: COVID-19, second wind for higher education in India

Alan Ruby said, “There will be a deterrent effect, especially on international students. The choice of destination for study abroad is influenced by perceptions about personal safety. The virus, and the response to it, is a reminder that health services and hygiene standards are not what some students are familiar with.”

Education World Online | March 25, 2020

India’s slimmer excellence initiative an ‘intelligent’ approach

Alan Ruby said that the Indian government’s decision to designate just six universities as “Institutes of Eminence” was a sensible choice, which would allow them to concentrate available resources.

Times Higher Education (U.K.) | July 17, 2018

Emerging Economies Summit: India Is ‘Blueprint for Developing World’

Alan Ruby praised India’s decision to grant “autonomous status” to 62 universities, which allows the schools to establish new courses, curricula, salaries, and off-campus centers without government approval.

Times Higher Education (U.K.) | May 9, 2018

China’s overseas investment should not neglect education

Alan Ruby writes about the importance of investing in not only physical infrastructure, but also in human capital in order to maximize the success of China’s Belt and Rod initiative.

The World University Rankings | April 12, 2018

Selecting world class institutions: How to choose the best

Alan Ruby and Matthew Hartley write about a panel’s selection of 20 higher education institutions in India that can compete with the best institutions worldwide.

The Economic Times | April 3, 2018

What freedoms do ‘institutions of eminence’ need?

Alan Ruby and Matthew Hartley write about the creation of 20 “institutions of eminence” in India.

University World News | September 15, 2017

Worrying About International Student Demand? Look at the Fundamentals and Look Beyond

Alan Ruby writes about international student demand and how to attract international students in the current political climate.

NAFSA | August 18, 2017

A day at a US graduation ceremony: what to expect

Alan Ruby shares his experiences of attending his nephew's graduation in Oregon in this international publication.

Times Higher Education | July 28, 2017

Autonomy central to Kazakhstan’s ‘world class’ HE ambitions

Matthew Hartley and Alan Ruby advise a Kazakhstan government working group on how to create a governance structure for a research institution.

Times Higher Education | June 14, 2017

A new frontier: US academia under President Trump

Matthew Hartley and Alan Ruby comment on the political, social, and educational impact of a Trump presidency.

Times Higher Education | January 19, 2017

The importance of keeping globally engaged

Alan Ruby discusses the effects globalization and political volatility have on postsecondary institutions.

University World News | October 18, 2016

A Brexit vote would signal ‘You are not welcome here’

Penn AHEAD's Alan Ruby comments on the Brexit vote's potential impact on higher education in the UK.

University World News | June 21, 2016

Press Releases

Eight of the top opportunities and challenges in global higher education

March 11, 2023

Awards & Honors

Matthew Hartley and Alan Ruby, with Penn GSE’s Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy, have received a $131,000 grant from the Qatar Foundation to support their research examining conceptions of institutional excellence at colleges and universities. The work will involve developing detailed case studies of approximately a dozen institutions in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America.

Posted on July 9, 2018