VUB Professor of Tax Law Michel Maus has been awarded the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award for Science Communication in recognition of his longstanding commitment to making complex tax matters accessible to a wider audience. Through initiatives such as the Tax Marathon, he helps bring tax law closer to the public.
The Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts (KVAB) and the Young Academy have recognised Michel Maus for his pioneering role in communicating tax-related issues to the public. For more than twenty years, he has made complex tax matters easier to understand, helping to bridge the gap between taxation and everyday life.
One notable example is the Tax Marathon (Belastingmarathon), organised by Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, which gives members of the public the opportunity to have their tax-related questions answered. The initiative illustrates how Maus uses his expertise to help people navigate tax rules that directly affect their daily lives.
The Lifetime Achievement Award for Science Communication recognises an exceptional and sustained commitment to communicating academic knowledge to the wider public. Previous recipients include philosopher Ignaas Devisch, virologist Marc Van Ranst, cancer researcher Filip Lardon and urologist Piet Hoebeke.
Bio
Michel Maus is Associate Professor of Tax Law at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), where he is affiliated with the Department of Public Law. He teaches courses including Tax Law, Tax Procedure and Enforcement, Advanced Personal Income Tax, and Registration and Inheritance Taxes. His research focuses on tax audits, combating tax fraud and tax policy, with a particular interest in the future of taxation. Alongside his academic work, Maus is a practising lawyer, chair of the non-profit organisation Fiscaal Ideaal and a board member of the Belgian Esports Federation. At VUB, he also chairs the Programme Council for the Law degree.
Further information about his research and publications is available on the VUB Research Portal.