The Saint
St Andrews academic receives knighthood
Charlotte Beauclerk
Photo: University of St Andrews
An academic from the University of St Andrews was recently made a Chevalier de lOrdre des Palmes Académiques, an ancient and prestigious French civil award.
Dr David Gascoigne is one of only a few non-French academics chosen to receive the honour, which translates into English as a Knight of the Order of Academic Excellence and recognises exceptional contribution to the promotion of French culture.
The award was created by Napoleon, originally to reward the most eminent academics of the universities in France at the time, and its recent bicentenary makes it one of the oldest civil awards in the world.
Dr Gascoigne, an Honorary Senior Lecturer in French, received the award at a ceremony in the Residence of the French Ambassador to Great Britain, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne.
The Ambassador, who gave a well-attended talk on Anglo-French relations at St Andrews last year, praised the lecturers outstanding record at the University in teaching and research, as well as his own academic work.
Since arriving at the University in 1975, Dr Gascoigne has occupied many significant posts both at department and university level, notably Head of French, and is currently Honorary Senior Lecturer.
He has also received recognition for taking part in numerous research projects and ambitious cultural initiatives.
The academics interest in contemporary French fiction has seen him produce numerous articles about writers such as Amélie Nothomb and Michel Tournier.
Asked how he felt upon receiving this award, Dr Gascoigne replied: For myself, astonished and delighted - but its also a tribute to the top quality of the French Department as a whole.
I couldnt have achieved much of what I did if I hadnt been part of such a great team.
He also commented that one of the most rewarding aspects of working at St Andrews was, The quality of the students we attract.
He added, What stays in my mind are those times when a whole group of students gets genuinely fascinated by challenging material youre offering them, and strike sparks off each other, like a first-rate research team. Thats when teaching becomes really exciting
