How do higher education institutions in seven national and economic environments define and pursue excellence? This study looks at the disparate ways institutions define and enact their purposes, how they align institutional behaviors with their stated values and institutional goals, the practices they use to uphold their key principles, and the ways in which they seek to foster these values within these academic communities. These institutions are doing compelling work and offer important alternative concepts of excellence—ones that run counter to rankings schemes and world class university models.  The variety of approaches by these institutions can be emulated by other institutions.