播撒英中長期關系的種子

文/Carma Elliot (艾琳)

譯/李梁

播撒英中長期關系的種子

Planting the Seeds of a Long-term Relationship Between Britain and China

文/Carma Elliot (艾琳)

譯/李梁

當我在寫這篇文章的時候，我擔任英國文化教育協會中國區主任已滿四個年頭，距離我作為復旦大學的學生首次來到中國已經有33個年頭了。在此期間我見證了中國真正令人驚嘆的轉變，而與此同時，英國文化教育協會也積極與中方合作伙伴攜手促進交流，推動中國在自身發展規劃的重點領域內實現可持續而互惠的轉變。

本文作者英國大使館文化教育公使、英國文化教育協會中國區主任艾琳（Carma Elliot, the Minister of Culture and Education, British Embassy; Country Director, British Council China）

人文交流創造和平、寬容和安全

英國文化教育協會經英國皇家特許成立于1947年，與110多個國家開展合作，是英國促進文化交流與提供教育機會的國際組織。我們幫助英國以及其他國家的人們增進友誼和了解，并借此建立信任，攜手打造共同的未來。每年，我們通過英語教學、藝術分享以及各類教育和技能項目與數千名專業人士、決策者以及數百萬青年人開展合作。我們相信，無論是在中國還是在其他地方，人文交流都會為創造更加和平、寬容和安全的世界作出有力而持久的貢獻。簡言之，我們將盡全力管理、宣傳、推廣和堅持中英人文交流，無論是在高層還是在基層，我們建立的廣泛關系均將支持并推動此項工作。

2013年12月率英國貿易代表團訪華期間，時任首相戴維·卡梅倫（David Cameron）表示希望“播撒長期關系的種子，使中國、英國和世界各國未來的幾代人受益”。自從2016年6月“脫歐”公投以來，加強英國的全球影響力和聯系的重要性與日俱增，而中國在其中將繼續發揮關鍵性的作用。我熱切地感受到，我們只有通過在包括貿易在內的所有與我們息息相關的問題上都開展密切合作才能建立這種關系。

作為三大戰略雙邊對話之一的中英高級別人文交流機制所產生的影響，將是推動這一議程的關鍵。英國文化教育協會所發揮的作用是有益而重要的：該對話涵蓋了英國文化教育協會的三大核心領域（教育、文化和體育），而英國文化教育協會的首席執行官同時也是對話的聯合秘書長。該對話是雙邊總體接觸的基石之一——而當國際舞臺處于動蕩和緊張的時刻，該對話因其真正意義上的包容性而越發具有重大的意義。

As I write this article, I am marking my 4th anniversary as Director of the British Council in China and a total of 33 years since I first came to China, as a student at Fudan University in Shanghai. In that time, I have witnessed the truly amazing transformation of China, and over the same period, the British Council has also actively worked alongside our Chinese partners on exchanges which have been catalysts for sustainable, mutually benef i cial change in key areas of China’s own development plans.

people to people contacts: for a more peaceful, tolerant and secure world

Established by Royal Charter in 1947, and working in over 110 countries, the British Council is the UK’s international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries, and in turn –this generates the trust to build on for a shared future.We work with thousands of professionals, policy makers and millions of young people every year by teaching English, sharing the arts and delivering education and skills programmes. We believe that people to people contacts－whether in China or elsewhere －make a powerful and lasting contribution to a more peaceful, tolerant and secure world. In short, we do all we can to harness, publicise, promote and pursue UK/China people to people initiatives, and we have a wide range of relationships, from the top down, which support and drive this work.

2016年“永恒的莎士比亞”項目在中國舉辦了超過100場活動，圖為伊恩·麥凱倫爵士在上海出席活動，他在舞臺劇和電影中詮釋過眾多莎士比亞的作品

那么，我們實際上都從事哪些工作呢？

英國文化教育協會作為英國大使館文化教育處于1979年成立，其前身是由著名漢學家李約瑟博士（Dr. Joseph Needham）于1943年創辦的中英科技合作辦公室。我們在5個中國城市設有辦事處，并活躍在35個二三線城市。我們與英國大使館保持緊密合作，并主導雙邊教育與文化交流項目。我們還在圍繞其他軟實力問題與英國利益相關方召開會議，目的是與合作伙伴建立關系，并為參與兩國關鍵經濟部門事務的英方合作伙伴提供更廣泛的經濟機會。英國文化教育協會與中國文化 部共同簽署了1979年雙邊文化交流協定以及英中兩國在教育、文化、語言評估和體育等領域內達成的許多其他諒解備忘錄。

2015年以來，英中兩國共同致力于在雙邊關系的“黃金時代”中構建“面向21世紀的全球全面戰略伙伴關系”。為此，英國文化教育協會通過在語言教學和評估、教育交流、文化創意以及體育等方面開展工作，在性別平等、多元化和包容（EDI）方面開展的工作也越來越多，在建立并維持雙邊關系方面發揮了重要的作用。我們將與英中兩國的合作伙伴共同在這些行業的專業人士、個人和機構之間建立聯系，不斷夯實雙方經濟增長的基礎。

On a UK trade mission to China in December 2013, then Prime Minister David Cameron said he hoped to “plant the seeds of a long-term relationship which will benef i t China, Britain and the world for generations to come”. Since the EU referendum in June 2016, the importance of strengthening the UK’s global influence and connections has grown, and China continues to be a key priority for the UK. I feel passionately that such a relationship will only come about by also working together on issues – beyond trade - that affect us all.

Key to driving this agenda is the impact of the UK/China High-Level People to People Dialogue, one of three strategic bilateral dialogues. The British Council’s role is instrumental and central: leading on three of its strands (education, culture and sport) and with our Chief Executive as the Dialogue’s joint Secretary-General. The dialogue is one of the cornerstones of overall bilateral engagement – and at a time of fl ux and tension on the international stage, this Dialogue assumes an even greater importance as it is genuinely inclusive.

So, what do we actually do?

The British Council was established in China in 1979 as the Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy, building on the work of the Sino-British Science Cooperation Office established by the noted sinologist Dr. Joseph Needham in 1943. We have off i ces in fi ve cities across China and are active in an additional 35 tier two and tier three cities. We work closely with the British Embassy, and lead on bilateral education programmes and cultural links. We also convene across UK stakeholders on other soft power issues with the aim of building relationships with partners, and of building wider economic opportunities for UK partners engaged in these key economic sectors for our two countries. The British Council is cosignatory with the Chinese Ministry of Culture to the bilateral 1979 Cultural Exchange Agreement; as well as a number of other Memoranda of Understanding between the UK and China on education, culture, language assessment and sport.

Since 2015, the UK and China have made a joint commitment to build “a global comprehensive strategic partnership for the 21st century”, in a “golden era” in the bilateral relationship. The British Council plays an important role here in building and maintaining the ties which really bind our two peoples –through our work in language teaching, assessment, education exchange, culture and creative engagement and sport, and increasingly our work in gender parity and EDI. We work with partners across the UK and across China, and build links between professionals, individuals and institutions in these sectors which increasingly underpin mutual economic growth.

讓英國年輕人通過對中國的認識參與全球經濟

英中兩國都有著悠久的教育傳統，分別采取了截然不同但同樣成功的方法。英國處于創造力和教學創新的最前沿，而中國則在學術嚴謹性和技術創新領域處于主導地位。我們致力于培養兩國青年人、學術界和機構之間的終身聯系。我們還通過執行相關方案鼓勵更多英國年輕人來中國讀書；我們的工作也有助于中國實現高等教育體系的國際化。

英國的高等教育體系憑借自身的國際戰略力求更上一層樓，并因此在中國享有很高的聲譽。許多選擇前往英國留學的學生都是自費的，而2012年以來中國政府已經提供了11000筆獎學金，目前在英國有15萬名中國學生。海外學生能夠直接通過在英國大學的學習終身受益，提高專業能力和社會流動性并獲得信任。英國也率先推出了跨國教育模式，并在中國提供聯合學位課程，其中包括了大學聯合項目，例如寧波諾丁漢大學和西安交通利物浦大學等。目前有57000名中國年輕人正在中國攻讀英國學位。英國文化教育協會在為英國大學就設立此類聯合項目提供咨詢和支持方面，發揮著關鍵性的作用。

在赴英國留學人數保持數十年增長后，英國高校現有約60萬中國校友。這個群體的大部分成員在中國生活和工作。這一群體（以及曾經來華留學的英國國民）對培育英中兩國間的可持續的長期關系有著潛在的顯著影響。

英國政府已經認識到讓英國年輕人為參與競爭性的全球經濟做好準備的重要性，特別是通過對中國的認識。自2012年設立以來，英國文化教育協會的“英國未來計劃”在中國政府和大學的慷慨支持下累計已幫助3.5萬名英國年輕人在中國留學和實習。該計劃也大大增加了英國年輕人在中國學習和實習的機會（針對那些如果沒有該計劃就不能獲得此類機會的英國人而言）。這些計劃使更多人熟悉了中國的語言和文化，是增進兩國之間的主流理解以及更廣泛的文化和經濟交往的關鍵，同時也有助于實現英中文化關系“黃金時代”的相關愿景。

UK young generation: engagement in the global economy through awareness of China

Both Britain and China have rich traditions in education, each characterised by two distinct but equally successful approaches. Britain is at the cutting edge of creativity and pedagogic innovation, while China leads on academic rigour and increasingly, technological innovation.We nurture lifelong links between young people, and between academics and institutions in both our countries. We also run programmes to encourage more young British people to study in China; and our work contributes to China's ambitions to internationalise its higher education system.

The UK’s higher education system enjoys a strong reputation in China as it seeks to move forward with its own international strategy. While many choosing to study in the UK are selfpaying, the Chinese government has supported 11,000 scholarships since 2012; and there are overall currently 150,000 Chinese students in the UK. The direct experience of overseas students studying at our universities has been shown to be life-long, boosting professional capacity, social mobility and building trust.The UK has also pioneered models of transnational education with joint degree programmes offered in China, with various delivery models, including joint university campuses such as the University of Nottingham Ningbo China and Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. Currently 57,000 Chinese young people are studying for a UK degree in China. The British Council has a key role in advising and supporting UK universities to set up such joint programmes.

Following several decades of increased student mobility from China, there are now an estimated 600,000 Chinese alumni of UK HE institutions the vast majority of whom are living and working in China. The inf l uence of this group (and those British nationals who have studied in China) is potentially signif i cant, in nurturing a sustainable, long-term relationship between the UK and China.

The UK Government recognises the importance of preparing the next generation of UK young people for engagement in a competitive global economy, in particular through awareness of China. Since its inception in 2012, the British Council’s Generation UK programme has seen a cumulative total of 35,000 British young people study and intern in China, with the very generous support of the Chinese government and universities. The programme has also greatly increased access for young British people, targeted at those who might not otherwise be able to access such opportunities, to study and intern in China. Such programmes, which enable more people to be conversant with the language and the culture of China, are key to building greater mainstream understanding, wider cultural and economic engagement between our two nations, and help to bring about aspirations of the “golden age” of UKChina cultural relations.

英國文化教育協會多年來一直為小學生和教師提供廣泛的學校合作和教育機會。漢語被確定為在英國學習的最重要的語言之一。目前直接由英國文化教育協會支持的主要倡議包括旨在支持5000名英國小學生達到漢語熟練水平的漢語推廣計劃（一項我們與倫敦大學學院教育研究所聯合實施的計劃），以及上海英格蘭數學交流計劃。

英國文化教育協會在語言以及其他科目的考試方面開展了大規模的工作。我們提供一系列廣受認可的英國資格考試，特別是在英語和金融方面，其中最受歡迎的考試當數IELTS考試和ACCA考試。我們在“FutureLearn”平臺上開設的IELTS備考課程是全世界最受歡迎的大型開放式網絡課程之一，其中很大一部分要歸功于IELTS考試在中國的普及，中國IELTS考生的人數占全球考生總數的四分之一。

據估計，中國有3億英語學習者和200萬名英語教師，對語言培訓有需求。英國文化教育協會目前在中國并未設立英語語言教學中心，但我們提供可免費獲取的內容和資料。我們還與中方教育機構合作伙伴共同提高英語教學的標準——我們在過去的35年多里一直是這樣做的。我們也樂于支持英國學校漢語教學的發展。

我們在中國執行的所有計劃，都力圖融入對婦女和女童經濟賦權的關注。世界各地的性別平等與經濟繁榮息息相關，同時也是可持續發展目標中目標5規定的全球優先事項。其中包括2016年12月啟動的未來菁媖中國行動，這是一項旨在消除在校兒童對于不同性別所從事職業的刻板印象的計劃；以及今年8月在北京開幕的由英國南岸藝術中心發起并由我們支持的“WOW世界女性藝術節”。

文化、教育是英國推廣價值觀的方式

在充滿不確定性的時代，藝術保持著良好的關系和開放的溝通渠道。它們提醒我們都有哪些共通之處；它們讓我們感到安全；它們提醒我們終將戰勝一切的是創造力，而不是破壞。我們的藝術作品把兩國的專業人士和觀眾連接在了一起——英中兩國不僅將向對方的觀眾展示彼此的創意作品，而且還將通過培訓和專業交流分享創作這些作品時所采用的技藝。

The British Council has supported a wide range of school partnerships and educational opportunities for pupils and teachers over many years. Chinese has been identified as one of the most important languages to learn in the UK. Current high profileinitiatives supported directly by the British Council include the Mandarin Expansion Programme aimed at supporting 5,000 pupils in English schools to achieve Mandarin fl uency (in a programme in which we partner with the Institute of Education/UCL) – as well as the Shanghai-England maths exchange.

The British Council’s examinations work, in language and other subjects, is on a large scale. We deliver a range of highly valued UK qualifications, particularly in English and Finance, with IELTS and ACCA the most popular. Our IELTS preparation course on the FutureLearn platform is one of the world's most popular MOOCs – in large part because of the popularity of IELTS in China, which accounts for one quarter of all global candidature.

There are an estimated 300 million learners of English and two million English language teachers in China, with demand for more provision of training. The British Council does not currently have English language teaching centres in China, but we offer free to access content and materials. We also work with partners in Chinese education institutions to raise standards in English teaching – something we have been doing for over 35 years. We are also happy to be supporting the growth of Chinese teaching in schools in the UK.

Across all our programmes in China, we seek to embed a focus on the economic empowerment of women and girls. Gender equality throughout the world is linked to economic prosperity and is a global priority as set out in Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes the launch, in December 2016, of Inspiring Women China, a programme designed to address gender stereotyping on careers among school children; and our support for the launch of the Southbank’s Women of the World (WOW!) in Beijing this August.

promoting UK values through culture and education

In uncertain times, the arts maintain good relationships and open channels of communication. They remind us what we have in common; they make us feel secure; and they remind us that creativity, not destruction, will prevail. Our arts work connects professionals and audiences in both countries－not only bringing British creative work to the attention of Chinese audiences, and vice versa, but sharing the skills that make that work possible, through training and professional exchange.

2015年是英中兩國歷史上第一個雙邊文化交流年。英國文化季由英國文化教育協會策劃，在中國推出了超過200場活動，為英中兩國未來創意和藝術人才的長期蓬勃發展提供了持久的財富。數字技術和為英國文化季提供支持的眾多合作伙伴發揮了（并且仍然發揮著）重要的作用：通過轉播、印刷和數字媒體，超過10億名觀眾收看了威廉王子主持的啟動儀式，有7142萬人觀看了本尼迪克特·康伯巴奇參與的環節。

2016年，英國文化教育協會舉辦的“永恒的莎士比亞”項目涵蓋超過100個國家，在長達一年的時間里通過各種活動紀念這位劇作家。這其中包括與中國文化部共同舉辦的中國頂尖劇作家湯顯祖的紀念活動。這一成功的雙邊活動通過藝術加強了英中友好和文化交流。“永恒的莎士比亞”在中國舉辦了超過100場活動，現場觀眾5萬人，通過平面、數字和廣播媒體覆蓋的受眾（累計）有20多億。皇家莎士比亞劇團、莎士比亞環球劇院以及包括伊恩·麥凱倫爵士和喬納森·普萊斯在內的杰出人物的參與，使活動自始至終保持了極大的吸引力。

2017年，我們將通過精心策劃的“靈動青春”活動進一步加強與中國的合作。更多信息可瀏覽https:// www.britishcouncil.cn/SOY。

我熱愛我所從事的工作，并對外界對我們的工作及其產生的影響給予的積極評價和高度關注感到欣慰。英國智庫ResPublica主管菲利普·布朗德最近在談到英國文化教育協會時表示：“它是英國在世界上運用軟實力開展的最有效的行動”，他說：“這就是英國推廣其價值觀的方式,不是強加于人，而是表明我們的信念是什么以及我們的信念為何如此重要。大多數外國人都是通過它初次接觸英國和英國文化的。”

在與中國的長期交往過程中，英國文化教育協會始終把重點放在建立更加深入和更加廣泛的長期聯系上。無論身處哪個行業或從事哪種職業，年輕人通過英國文化教育協會獲得的經驗都將在他們的職業生涯中得到實踐——他們個人往往都有著根深蒂固的英國情結。

2015 marked the fi rst ever bilateral Year of Cultural Exchange. The UK season was curated by the British Council and presented over 200 events in China, forming a lasting legacy for future generations of UK and Chinese creative and artistic talent to flourish over the long term. The digital footprint and partnerships which supported the UK season were (and remain) significant: the launch by HRH Duke of Cambridge alone had a total reach of over 1 billion people in China through broadcast, print and digital media. Further highlights included 71.42 million people reached through Benedict Cumberbatch’s involvement in the campaign.

Throughout 2016, the British Council’s Shakespeare Lives programme curated events in over 100 countries, in a yearlong celebration of the playwright’s legacy. These have included joint events with the Chinese Ministry of Culture to mark the shared anniversary with China’s own leading playwright, Tang Xianzu, and thus enabling a highly successful bilateral campaign that strengthened UK – China friendship and cultural exchange through the arts. The programme saw over 100 Shakespeare Lives events in China, reaching 50,000 people faceto-face and more than 2 billion (cumulatively) through print, digital and broadcast media. The Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare’s Globe and leading figures including Sir Ian McKellen and Jonathan Price were among those engaged with the campaign, enabling us to develop aplethora of engaging activity from start to fi nish.

In 2017, we will build upon this impactful engagement with our partners in China through a carefully curated campaign under the theme “Spirit of Youth”. More information can be found https://www.britishcouncil.cn/en/SOY.

I am extremely passionate about the work I do, and welcome the positive and high regard others have for our work, and our impact. Phillip Blond, director of the ResPublica think tank, said recently of the British Council:

“It is the most effective British operation in the world at the use of soft power,” he said. “It is the way this country promotes its values, not imposing them on others but saying that is what we believe and why it is important. It is where most foreign people have their fi rst contact with Britain and its culture”.

The British Council has throughout our long relationship with China focused on building long-term, deeper and broader links. Experiences of the kind supported by the British Council are ones which our young people will take forward into their careers, whichever sector or profession they go into – all of them with a personal and often deeply held connection to the UK.