Heribert Nacken studied civil engineering at the RWTH Aachen University and received his doctorate in the same field. Afterwards, he changed to the consulting sector and took over a professorship at the FH Aachen in 1998. In 2001, he returned to his alma mater, where he holds a professorship in engineering hydrology and a UNESCO chair. Since 2012, Nacken has been the rectorate's delegate for blended learning; in this role, he has played a key role in shaping the digitization strategy of RWTH Aachen University.