Van Besien got a master's degree in Sociology at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, and obtained a second master's degree in Developing Area Studies at the University of Hull (United Kingdom).

He participated as a youngster in Flemish scouting and became 1998 the national secretary of the Chiro-youth in Flanders.

He has been municipal civic office worker in Borgerhout since 2006 and followed Mieke Vogels as president of the Flemish green party Groen.

In September 2023, multiple Belgian news sources[2] reported that Van Besien ended political activity in Antwerpen as a city councilor.

[3] Media related to Wouter Van Besien at Wikimedia Commons