The Institute is headed by the Board of Directors with Prof. Dr. Anna-Katharina Hornidge as Director, Dr. Axel Berger as Deputy Director (interim) and Margret Heyen as Head of Administration.

IDOS’s institutional agreement ensures the principle of scientific independence of the Institute. The shareholders of the Institute – the Federal Republic of Germany (75 %) and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (25 %) – appoint the Board of Trustees of IDOS and the International Scientific Advisory Board.