A process for producing porous ceramics with controlled microstructure. Colloidal suspensions of polymeric microspheres of a selected size and shape, and aluminum oxide particles are consolidated to form a compact. The compact is heated to decompose the microspheres to leave pores, and to sinter the compact, to form a porous ceramic body with a plurality of pores preferably substantially the same size and shape, where the pores are substantially spherical and are evenly distributed and noncontiguous throughout the ceramic matrix and with strength comparable to its dense state.