The Honorary Committee 2026
A honorary committee is an important part of every traditional Viennese ball. With their participation, the members of this honorary committee emphasize the excellence, diversity and internationality of Vienna’s universities and research institutions. All rectors and directors of all universities, private universities, universities of applied sciences in the Vienna region are part of the honorary committee, as well as the presidents of ÖAW, ISTA, IIASA, AIT and Wolfgang Pauli Institute. They represent the valuable contribution of scientists and researchers, teaching staff and students to the social climate and intellectual capital, towards a culture of enlightenment and a cosmopolitan atmosphere, in short – towards a tolerant spirit in this city.
Patron
Univ.Prof.Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen
Federal Preisdent of the Republic of Austria
Chair of the Board of Honour
Dr. Michael Ludwig
Mayor and governor of Vienna
Chair of Honorary committee
Eva-Maria Holzleitner, BA
Federal Minister for Women, Science, and Research
KommR Peter Hanke
Federal Minister for Innovation, Mobility, and Infrastructure
Board of Honour
Mag.ª Bettina Emmerling, MSc
Deputy Mayor and Deputy Governor, City Councilor for Education, Youth, Integration, Transparency and Vienna Markets
Mag.ª Veronica Kaup-Hasler
City Councillor for Arts and Science
Honorary committee
1) Prof. Dr. Johan Frederik Hartle
Rector Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
2) DI-Ing.in Dr.in Brigitte Bach
Managing Director AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
3) Prof. Carsten Q. Schneider
President und Rector Central European University (CEU)
4) Univ.-Prof. Dr. Martin Kreeb
Rector Charlotte Fresenius Private University
5) Mag. Dr. Klaus Volcic
Managing Director E-Learning Group
6) Prof. (FH) Mag. Dr. Andreas Breinbauer
Rector University of applied Sciences BFI Vienna
7) FH-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. mont. Heimo Sandtner
Rector University of applied Sciences
8) Rektorin FH-Prof. in Dr. in Sylvia Geyer
Rector FH Technikum Wien – University of Applied Sciences for Technology and Digitization
9) Dr. Stephan Gasser
Executive Director FH Wien der WKW
10) Dr. Thomas Haase
Rector University College of Agricultural and Environmental Education
11) Prof. Dr. John Schellnhuber
Director General & CEO, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
13) Mag. Marcus Ratka
Rector JAM MUSIC LAB Private University
14) Priv.-Doz.in MMag. DDr. Ulrike Greiner
Rector Private University of Teacher Education and Christian Churches Austria
15) Alexander Zirkler
Executive Director Lauder Business School
16) Univ.-Prof. Dr. Markus Müller
Rector Medical University of Vienna
17) Dr. Andreas Mailath-Pokorny
Rector Music and arts University of the City of Vienna
18) Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heinz Faßmann
President Austrian Academy of Sciences
19) Mag.a Dr.in Barbara Herzog-Punzenberger
Rector University College of Teacher Education Vienna
20) Univ.Prof. Dr. Johannes Pollak
Rector Sigmund Freud Private University
21) Prof. Dr. Ing. Jens Schneider
Rector Technical University of Vienna
22) Univ.-Prof.in Dr.in Ulrike Kuch
Rector University of Applied Arts Vienna
23) Univ.-Prof.in MMag.a Dr.in Eva Schulev-Steindl
Rector BOKU University
24) Mag.a art. Ulrike Sych
Rector University of Music and Performing Arts
25) Univ.-Prof. Dr. Sebastian Schütze
Rector University of Vienna
26) Univ.-Prof. Dr. Matthias Gauly
Rector University of Veterinary Medicine
27) Samuel Schubert
Ass. Director Webster Vienna Private University
28) Univ.-Prof. Dr. Rupert Sausgruber
Rector Vienna University of Economics and Business
29) o.Univ.Prof. Dr. Georg Gottlob FRS,
President Wolfgang Pauli Institute