1976-1981 BA Theology, Utrecht Universitu
1981-1986 MA Religous Studies/islam/Arabic, Free University Amsterdam.
1987- 1991 Ph.D.-research Institutionalisation of Islam in the Netherlands, Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research/Utrecht University Work

1992 - 2008 assistant professor in Arabic and Islamic Studies, Department for Oriental Languages and Cultures, Faculty of Arts, Utrecht University

2008 - present   associate professor in Arabic and Islamic Studies, Department of Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts, Utrecht University