He studied at the universities of Pretoria, Groningen, Cambridge and South Africa (Unisa) and holds doctorates in Semitics (1973), Old Testament (1975) and Church History (1984). Prof Loader started his academic career in 1968 as lecturer at the University of Pretoria and held professorships in Semitics at UP, as well as in the Old Testament at Unisa. Since 1997, he is professor in Old Testament and Biblical Archaeology at the University of Vienna, and he is currently also the Dean of the Theological Faculty. Prof Loader was honoured as one of the ‘Leading Minds 1908-2008’ during the University of Pretoria’s Centenary festivities in 2008.