esec

ESEC=educational services exchange with China

Educational Services Exchange With China, Inc. (ESEC) was organized in 1981 in Southern California by a group of Chinese-Americans with a commitment to international development based on Christian humanitarian principles. Under the leadership of Dr. Danny Yu, the founding president of ESEC, the organization has grown from two programs in 1981 to more than forty programs.

★ESEC的理念與特色

二十年以前，一群生活在美國南加州而心繫祖國的華僑和海外學子，出於對祖國教育事業的深切關心，也為祖國改革開放的遠景所鼓舞，由余國良博士和彭永寧博士首先倡導，在美國洛杉磯創辦了一家專門從事中美民間教育交流與服務的非盈利性機構，這就是美中教育服務機構（ESEC）。

美中教育服務機構（ESEC）從創辦之初起就得到了多方面人士的關心和支持。在美國方面有許多關心中國發展的友人鼓勵和支持機構的事業，在人力、經濟、資料等各個方面提供寶貴的資助。在中國方面，我們一直得到中國政府和很多大學機構的關心和幫助，大量國內單位的合作和參與使我們的服務得以不斷地擴展和延伸。迄今為止我們已經和國內近兩百所單位共同在英語培訓、醫療教育、高等教育評估、殘疾人服務和特殊教育等領域成功舉辦過合作項目。

美中教育服務機構（ESEC）工作的二十年，是我們見證中國改革開放和社會進步的二十年，也是中美兩國人民間友好交往不斷發展，並且結出碩果的二十年。機構的全體同仁為能夠投入這一偉大的歷史洪流作一些微小貢獻感到欣慰，也感謝國內外所有關心我們工作的人士多年以來的支持和鼓勵。美中教育服務機構（ESEC）將服務中國社會，增進中美兩國人民友誼作為自己的最根本的宗旨。由這一宗旨出發，美中教育服務機構（ESEC）始終保有，並不斷發展著下面五方面的特點：

首先，機構始終都是由一些樂意看到中國現代化，關心中美兩國人民友誼的美籍人士（很多是美籍華人）所熱心支持的。我們的支持者普遍有著對中國友好，希望中國健康發展的美好心態。在以往的二十年中，這些朋友一直在為機構的工作提供必須的經濟和輿論支持。

其次，我們以互相尊重為機構在中國開展活動的基本原則。美中教育服務機構（ESEC）本著基督教的博愛理念和“非以役人，乃役於人”的基督教精神開展工作。我們始終提醒自己美中教育服務機構（ESEC）工作的宗旨是合作與服務。在與國內機構合作的過程中，我們願意以“服務者”的形象出現，並注意對國內合作單位的習慣、興趣和思維方式予以充分尊重。合作關係總是平等的。我們努力在彼此尊重的基礎上與國內單位建立互相信任的工作夥伴關係。

再次，我們為國內合作項目派遣美方工作人員時非常注意團隊精神，力圖派出最佳組合的團隊以提供優質的服務。我們認識到工作效果是否理想更多地取決於參與工作的人員是否能很好地彼此協調，以及與其他人合作。單獨的個人無論本身多麼優秀，所能做的總是有限的。所以我們在選派人員來中國服務時基本上不派遣個人，也不一定考慮所派人員本身是否一定最佳，但一定會送來最好的團隊，他們必須能夠和國內單位很好地合作。我們在選派人員來中國以前為他們舉辦強化培訓，提供跨文化訓練，實現隊伍配套。由於美中教育服務機構（ESEC）一直強調團隊的理念，我們選派的人員一般總能不負眾望地達到預期目標。

另外，我們在中國推廣了融會中西文化特點的教學方法。單單以語言教學為例，我們不但積極引進國外先進的外語教學法，同時也努力結合中國課堂教學的習慣和特點，反覆探索能夠針對中國學生產生較好效果的實用方法。我們對教育中的“跨文化”方面始終保持著適當的敏感，較多地考慮文化差異的因素對教學效果的影響，並努力從此出發對我們的教學項目作出改進。這樣也幫助人們與合作單位保持良好的關係。

最後，我們在舉辦項目時慣用發展模式在先，規模推廣在後的系統化和“規模複製”的方法，大大地提高了利用資源的效率，取得了事半功倍的效果。說得更具體些，就是在開始每一新項目時投入較多的資源發展出一套可行和經濟的模式，然後以此為模本大規模地推廣，將它運用到好幾個，十幾個，甚至幾十個相似的項目中去，並且在推廣的過程中也參考實踐經驗改進模式，使之更有效地發揮效用。二十年的實踐證明了這套方法是“低成本，高產出”的好方法，能較好地適合中國的需要，也有效地利用了我們有限的資源。

ESEC Philosophy and Characteristics [from ESEC's 20th Anniversary book]

Just as China opened her doors to the world, a group of Chinese-Americans living in Los Angeles founded Educational Services Exchange with China (ESEC) under the leadership of Dr. Danny Yu and Dr. Wing Pang. Serving the people of China through education and exchange was the calling of ESEC. They established a nonprofit organization and began operations as a non-government educational service in 1981.

ESEC gathered attention and support from people in many walks of life. These people gave selflessly of their time, money, and services. In China, ESEC was welcomed by the government and the institutes of higher education. A mutual commitment of cooperation has allowed ESEC to expand its programs; ESEC offers English language learning programs, contemporary teaching methodology, international trade and commerce, medical education, higher education evaluation, service to the disabled, and special education. To date, this effort has involved more than 200 Chinese institutions.

The 20 years that ESEC has served in China marks two historical decades of rapid progress and reform for Chinese society. It is in this setting that ESEC discovered its purpose and defined the incumbent challenges ahead. ESEC appreciates the opportunity to be a participant in the metamorphosis of Chinese society, and is especially grateful for the many friends who have joined us in this pilgrimage.

The fundamental philosophy of ESEC is to promote genuine friendship between the people of China and the people of the United States. In this philosophy, ESEC has embodied five distinct characteristics that set it's work apart.

1. ESEC was founded by Chinese-Americans who are interested in fostering a healthy relationship between the USA and China. An ever-expanding community has sustained ESEC and its work by providing economic and moral support.

2. The guiding tenet of ESEC's partnership is mutual respect. ESEC is founded on the concept of Christian humanitarian principles. Our creed is "to serve, rather than to be served." As partners we focus on understanding and appreciation for one another. Our cooperative relationship is one of equality.

3. ESEC does not send individual teachers: we send teaching teams. We do not emphasize individual performance. We mold our teachers as team members. With strengths that compliment and empower the whole, they can overcome personal limitations. Prior to leaving the States, we extensively train our teachers in teamwork and teaching methodology so the can function effectively overseas.

4. In the training of our teaching teams we also emphasize cross-cultural sensitivity. Equipping our teachers to work with their Chinese partners, we strive to integrate Western and Oriental approaches to education. We employ the latest teaching methodologies while giving close attention to the psychological and cultural habits of the students. As a bicultural organization, ESEC's goal is to overcome cultural boundaries and barriers while respecting he differences of the two cultures.

5. We seek continual growth. We average a new program every two years. We have employed an effective protocol for developing new programs - beginning with pilot testing, then establishing a model and finally duplication for the masses. After we perfect a curriculum design, we immediately seek to multiply the program to as many locations as possible, thereby reducing the cost per student trained. ESEC has been recognized for its ability to produce low cost and high quality education that achieves optimal results.