My best moments at the University of Helsinki have been those occasions when I have had the opportunity to follow the development of talented young researchers from student to independent researcher. When I followed, usually as a presiding official, or custos, the public defence of a doctoral thesis, and had the opportunity to see my students outgrow me, at least in their specialist area, and become independent researchers who have internationally important things to say, I reckon that I have done my job well.

My finest moment was in June 2014, when I was voted unanimously to become the president of an internationally important scientific organisation, Union Européenne des Arabisants et Islamisants, (‘The European Union of Arabist and Islamists’) for the term of 2014-2018.