President & Committees

The governing bodies of the Academy are the Executive Board, the Presidium, the Senate, the General Assembly, and the Secretary General, who serves as the special representative of the registered association.

The Executive Board is the decision-making body for the Academy’s financial, legal, administrative, organizational, and personnel matters. It consists of up to four volunteer vice presidents and the full-time president. The Executive Board meets approximately every six to eight weeks; four Executive Board meetings per year are mandatory.

The Presidium is the decision-making body responsible for the Academy’s substantive and strategic direction with regard to its core tasks as defined in the bylaws. In addition, the Presidium is responsible for membership matters (co-optation, removal from office, appointment to internal Academy functions). The Presidium consists of the President, up to four Vice Presidents, four Secretaries, and up to three additional members. The members of the Presidium are elected by the Senate; their term of office is five years, and they may be re-elected once.

The President manages the Academy’s affairs. The President serves as chair of both the Executive Board and the Presidium. In both bodies, the President is responsible for setting policy and presiding over meetings. Furthermore, she is responsible for representing the Academy externally and has the authority to make decisions on matters that cannot be postponed. Since March 1, 2025, Prof. Dr. Bettina Rockenbach has held the office of President. She is the 28th President of the Leopoldina.