A method for making a mesoporous or combined mesoporous/microporous inorganic oxide includes reacting a source of inorganic oxide with a complexing agent at a complexation temperature to provide a complex; decomposing the complex to provide a porous material precursor having an inorganic oxide framework containing at least some organic pore-forming agent; and removing the organic pore forming agent from the inorganic oxide framework by solvent extraction and/or calcination.