Between 1966 and 1970 he studed at École normale supérieure in Paris, and in 1973 he obtained a PhD from Pierre and Marie Curie University, under the supervision of Jacques Dixmier.
bᵻtwˌiːn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɪks ænd nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti hiː stˈuːdᵻd æɾ ɪkˈoʊl nˈoːɹmeɪl sˈuːpeɪɹˌɪjʊɹ ɪn pˈæɹɪs, ænd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti θɹˈiː hiː əbtˈeɪnd ɐ pˌiːˈeɪtʃ dˈiː fɹʌm pɪˈɛɹ ænd mɚɹˈiː kjˈʊɹɹi jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi, ˌʌndɚ ðə suːpɚvˈɪʒən ʌv ʒˈæk dˈɪksmiɚ.