Catherine De Rijdt obtained a degree in pedagogical higher education at the katholieke hogeschool kempen in Vorselaar (Belgium) in 1994, a master degree in educational sciences at the University of Leuven (Belgium) and a teaching degree at the University of Leuven (Belgium) in 1999. In that year she started as an assistant professor at the Maastricht University, Faculty of Law, department Educational Development and Information Technology.