The Presiding Committee is the Academy’s governing board and supreme executive body. It comprises the President, the Vice President and two Division Presidents. Since July 2017 the Presiding Committee has been formed by President Anton Zeilinger, Vice President Michael Alram, Division President Oliver Jens Schmitt and Division President Georg Brasseur.

The members of the Presiding Committee are elected by the General Assembly of the full members of the Academy.  In line with the dual control principle, the President and the Vice President are responsible for the management and agendas of the OeAW’s research institutes and the two Division Presidents are responsible for the member activities of both OeAW divisions.