Education
He studied sinology at Leiden University, and modern Chinese history at Harvard, where he received a PhD.
He studied sinology at Leiden University, and modern Chinese history at Harvard, where he received a PhD.
He is also the History Link-Up Governor at Melbourn Village College in Cambridgeshire. Dr. van de Ven is a guest professor at the History Department of Nanjing University and was an International Fellow at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center, China, in 2005–06. As of 2008, he is working on a book about the Chinese Maritime Customs Service.
In early 2008, van de Ven adopted a position with ACE Cultural Tours (Association for Cultural Exchange), to serve as guest lecturer for the firm's Chinese Civilization tours. Van de Ven is married and has three sons - Johan, Derek and Willem.
He holds several positions at the University of Cambridge, where he is Professor of Modern Chinese History, Chairman of the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Management Committee member of the East Asia Institute, and Director in Oriental Studies at St Catharine's College.