1993 Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Theoretical Physics, Cornell University, New York

1996 Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Theoretical Physics, Cornell University, New York

1996 - 1998 Project Manager at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Frankfurt

1999 - 2001 Executive Director (CEO) of the Northern Institute of Technology, Hamburg

2001 - 2008 Senator (minister) of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (non partisan)

• Senator of Science and Research (2001 - 2008)
• in addition, Senator of Public Health and Consumer Protection (2004 – 2006)
• Member of the permanant Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (Kultusministerkonferenz) and acting member of the Bundesrat (2001 - 2008)
• Member of the accreditation council (2003– 2008)
  

  Since July 2008, member of the Executive Board of the Bertelsmann Stiftung, responsible for Education, Integration and Participation and CEO of the CHE.

• Since 08/2008 at CHE Centrum für Hochschulentwicklung as managing director

• Dräger, Jörg: Gute Bildung ist möglich, in: Mahrer, Harald (Hrsg.): Chancengerechtigkeit. Wir sind dafür, Wien: Julius-Raab-Stiftung, 2012, S. 25-34