四月二十三日，澳門大學歷史系湯開建教授將由澳門大學社會科學人文學院院長郝雨凡及歷史系主任魏楚雄伴同，前往法國駐廣州領事館參加法國教育部勳章委員會「法國教育騎士勳章」頒授儀式。
「法國教育騎士勳章」是法蘭西金棕櫚勳章的最高等級，1808年由拿破崙設立。經過多年的完善和改進，該勳章現已成為法國政府對國內外為文化教育事業的傳播與研究做出突出貢獻人士的最高獎賞。自1866年起，該勳章開始對中國人頒授。至2008年，中國人獲此殊榮者，計二十餘人。其中，湯開建教授是港澳地區教育界獲此榮譽的第一人。湯開建教授有關法國耶穌會、法國遣使會、巴黎外方傳教會及聖母聖心會傳教的研究，在中國國內處於學術前沿。他與法國漢學家有著長時期的合作及交流，負責整理的巴黎外方傳教會所藏天主教中文檔案，曾獲中國國家古籍整理委員會立項。他亦與世界名校巴黎高等師範學院漢學家聯合培養中西關係史博士研究生。對於法國歷史與文化的研究，湯開建教授有著卓越的貢獻。
湯開建，湖南長沙人。1949年出生。中學時對寫作產生興趣。文革中斷學業。文革後，於蘭州大學歷史系，攻讀中國古代史專業研究生課程。畢業後，任職于西北民族學院。1986年，調往暨南大学，破格升任副教授。1988年，被中国军事科学院聘为特约研究员。2008年應聘為澳門大學教授。湯開建教授學術生涯大致可以分為兩個階段：1990年以前，致力於宋元時期西北民族問題研究；1990年以後，致力於澳門史、中國基督教史及中西文化交流史研究。治學方法及研究路數，效法於陳援庵（垣）。不迷信以往的權威結論。搜尋中西史料，不惜竭澤而漁。求證問題，小心而謹慎。在外語方面，先天不足，多採用「土辦法」以研究「洋問題」，成績斐然。
通過20年的努力，在基礎史料方面，完成《明清時期澳門問題檔案文獻彙編》（六冊）文獻部份420萬字、《澳門憲報中文資料輯錄：1850-1911》120萬字、《近代報刊澳門資料選萃》60萬字的主編工作；創辦澳門歷史研究專業學術雜誌，出版《澳門歷史研究》1至8輯，約140萬字，與吳志良、金國平共同主編《澳門史新編》4冊，共120萬字；並在國內外有影響的刊物發表論文 150餘篇。他所出版的專著，從《明清士大夫與澳門》、《澳門開埠初期史研究》到《委黎多<報效始末疏>箋正》，每一部都經過中西史料的比勘，有許多結論已被學術界接受，成為定論。其中，《委黎多<報效始末疏>箋正》一書，發前人之所未發，言前人之所未言，更是一部極見功力的學術佳作。
湯開建教授與吳志良博士合撰《新澳門編年史》1-6冊，共350萬字，是一部大型通史著作。澳門歷史研究中，一切成熟或有創見性的研究成果，均可在該書獲得體現。《新澳門編年史》增加以往未曾出現的中、西新文獻、新史料，對以往某些基本史實的重大錯誤，進行認真的勘定和糾正。言必有征，征必有據。無一字無來歷。而且，中西互證，考述結合，力圖使之成為澳門歷史研究中真正的信史。該書尚未正式出版，已獲海內外評審專家的好評與讚揚。以爲「最為詳盡的《澳門實錄》」（普塔克教授語）。
湯教授著作等身，桃李滿園。先後獲得廣東、甘肅、澳門地區以及國家級社科類學術大獎12項，並曾被浙江大學、西北民族學院和北京外國語大學聘為兼職教授。20餘年，培養大批博士和碩士研究生。其中，約有40餘名博士和碩士研究生，均從事本領域研究。澳門大學社會科學及人文學院，自2006年起，就積極招聘全球優秀人才，其中包括了數位在中美兩國經過多年深造和執教的歷史教授，並開始醖釀及籌建歷史學系。2008年7月，澳門大學歷史系正式成立，並招收歷史學碩士生12名和澳門有史以來第一批歷史專業的本科生24名，大部分均爲澳門本地居民。目前，該系繼續努力從海内外招聘著名教授和優秀學者，開設具有國際水準的多樣歷史課程，招收畢業于重點大學的碩士生，並擴充發展一流的教學科研隊伍。其中，湯教授由暨南大学獲聘來澳，加入了澳門大學歷史系，開設古籍歷史資料文獻研讀、中國古代史、澳門文化史等課程。此外，他兼任澳門研究中心雜誌編輯工作以及其它有關澳門史研究的重大課題。
Prof. Tang Kaijian of the Department of History receives French Knighthood Honor
Prof. Tang Kaijian, Professor of the Department of History, was awarded the “Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques” (Knighthood in the Order of Academic in Palms) from the Ministry of Education of France, the prestigious award was conferred in recognition of his contributions to research in French history and culture. The conferment ceremony was officiated by Mr. Jean-Raphael Peytregnet, Consulate General of France, held at the Consulate General of France at Guangzhou on 23 April 2009. Prof. Hao Yufan, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, and Prof. Wei Chuxiong, Coordinator of the History Programme, attended the ceremony.
The Order of Knighthood is the highest level of Order of Academic Palms conferred upon academics. The award was first introduced by Napoleon in 1808 as an incentive by the French government to encourage eminent contribution in the promotion and research of French culture by domestic and international academics and educators. The Knighthood was first conferred to Chinese in 1866. Up until 2008, less than 30 Chinese were honored with this award.
The research that Prof. Tang Kaijian conducted regarding French Jesuits, French Missions, Paris Foreign Mission Society and Sacred Heart of Mary stands at the academic frontier in China. Hence, he has long been committed to cooperation and exchange with French sinologists. Prof. Tang Kaijian took part in the maintenance and organization of the Chinese Catholic collection owned by Ecole Normale Super Paris, and by which was proposed by the Chinese National Collection and Preservation of Cultural Relics Committee as a proposed project. He has dedicated significant effort to work closely with sinologists from well-known universities in Paris in training postgraduates in the area of Sino-Western relations. Thus, the Knighthood was an acknowledgement of Prof. Tang’s outstanding contributions to research in French history and culture.
Prof. Tang expressed that the award was an honorable sum-up of his past 60 years. This year also coincides with his first year at UM, altogether making this year an exceptional one in his career. Prof. Tang expressed sincere gratitude for the recognition and encouragement that he received from the French government for his research work. In the future, he will keep devoted himself in research with his fellow students, in topics like Paris Foreign Mission Society, French Jesuits and French Mission’s role in the history of French mission and history of cultural interaction between China and France. He also hopes to strengthen long-term collaboration and connection with the sinologists in France in the time to come.
In UM’s effort to recruit academic elites from around the world, Prof. Tang was invited by the University to join the Department of History from Jinan University in 2008, opening courses such as Reading of Classic Documents and Historical Materials, Chinese Ancient History and Cultural History of Macau. Outside his teaching and research responsibilities, Prof. Tang also takes part in an editorial role for journals published by the Centre of Macau Studies, as well as pursuing other research endeavors in major issues concerning Macau History.