• Kindergarten: Teheran, Iran; Erlangen, Germany – 1961-63

• Elementary School: Gravenbruch and Dietzenbach, Germany – 1964-1968
• High School: Heusenstamm, Homberg/Efze, and Erlangen, Germany – 1968-1970
• High School: German School in Jakarta, Indonesia – 1970-1973
• Graduation from Albert-Schweitzer- Gymnasium (High School), Germany: 1977

• Adult education and psychology – Dipl. Päd. (M.Ed.) – University of Bamberg, 1982

• Theology, philosophy, and church history – Lic.theol. and Dr. theol. (PhD in theology) – University of Bamberg, 1983

• History and international relations – M.A. – University of Toronto, 1985

• Computer science and business administration – Dipl. Inform. (M.SC.) – Distance University of Hagen, 1993

• Logotherapy and Existential Analysis – 4yr professional certification program (incl. 1 yr supervision) – Institute for Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, Tübingen/Vienna, 1996

• Nonviolent Communication (Compassionate Communication), NVC Academy; Sociocracy For All, October – December 2022

• Certified Co-op Professional, Co-operatives First, July – August 2024

• Compassion Cultivation Training, Compassion Institute, Stanford University, April – June 2025

• Cognitively Based Compassion Training, Charter For Compassion – Charter Education Institute, Emory University, September – December 2025

• Humanist Chaplaincy Candidate Training, Humanist Canada, 2025-26

and numerous personal and professional development workshops, certificates, and seminars focus on teaching, facilitation, consulting, coaching, self leadership, leadership, project management, sociocracy (dynamic governance),  creative writing, museum studies, and co-operative development.