1951: Born in Vienna
1962–1970: Attended Realgymnasium 1, Stubenbastei, graduated with Matura
1970–1971: Military service, Austrian Armed Forces
1971: Began studies at the University of Vienna: German Studies, English Studies
From 1973: Added Sinology as a field of study
1974–1975: Chinese language studies in Beijing (Beijing Language Institute)
1978: Earned a Ph.D. (Dr. phil.) at the University of Vienna
1979–2003:

• Lecturer for Chinese and University Assistant at the University of Vienna

• Lecturer for Chinese at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna

• Assistant Professor at the Department of Sinology, University of Vienna
  2003: Habilitation in Sinology
  2003–2017: Associate Professor of Sinology at the Department of East Asian Studies, University of Vienna
  1997–2011: University Representative for China, University of Vienna
  Since 2016: Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Vienna

Visiting Professorships:

• Erasmus Short-Term Visiting Professor at Charles University, Prague

• Visiting Professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University, China

• Visiting Professor at the Central University for Nationalities, Beijing

• Since 2011: Honorary Professor at the Chinese University of Political Science and Law, Beijing, and at Changchun University

• Since 2006: Teaching (China Seminar) at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna

Current Roles:

• Austrian Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Vienna

• Lecturer at the Department of East Asian Studies/Sinology, University of Vienna

• Board Member, World Association of Sinology (Beijing)

• Board Member, Austrian-Chinese Legal Society

• Advisory Board Member, EPU (Eurasia-Pacific Uninet)

• 2008–2014: Participant in the "Europe-China Cultural Dialogue" (EUNIC: European National Institutes of Culture – CNAA: Chinese National Academy of Arts), nominated by the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs

• 2012: Speaker at the European Economic and Social Committee – China Dialogue (Hangzhou, China)

Guest Lectures:
Delivered in China, USA, Russia, Japan, Canada, Brazil, New Zealand, Mauritius, Portugal, Germany, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia, and others. Since 1974, numerous visits to China and other East Asian countries for research, academic collaboration, and teaching.

Awards:

• Rosthorn Medal (2006)

• Grand Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (2011)

• John Rabe Award (2013)

Research and Teaching Focus:

• Classical and modern Chinese literature

• Chinese literary theory

• Studies on intercultural relations between China and the West