On the afternoon of Dec. 27, 2005, the academic directory committee of the ITP was held in Beijing, presided by CAS academician, Prof. Sun Honglie. Present at the conference were CAS academicians and professors engaged in the research of Tibetan Plateau, as well as several administrative staff in concern.

CAS academician, Prof. Liu Dongsheng, present an honorable speech at the conference. During his speech, he encouraged scientific staff on the Tibetan Plateau research to aim high during their studies and achieve outstanding performance from their work. He also made a retrospective view in the past Tibetan Plateau research, indicating that a new era has come when younger researchers in the Tibetan Plateau should be well aware of their responsibility to let China’s research get internationally acknowledged.

Followed his spirit-inducing speech was ITP’s Vice Director, Prof Liu Xiaohan’s report of the all-around progresses made by the ITP in 2005. He also briefed the participants on the recent “1480 Plan,” according to which ITP will set up eight field stations and ten monitoring spots on four profiles on the Tibetan Plateau to form a lattice in facilitating Chinese scientific studies.

ITP Director, Prof. Yao Tandong, also reported on ITP’s first nationally financed, key project of “The Response and Adapting Measures of the Tibetan Plateau to Global Change.”

Participating academicians were interested in these two reports. They entered into vivacious discussions after the reports, posing questions of their concern, and offering valuable suggestions.

At the end, Prof. Sun Honglie approved ITP’s effort and achievement in 2005. He pointed out that, ITP should address the construction of field flat-form as its primary task, whilst take it in a rather slow pace. Each field station should have its own advantage and characteristic. Operation cost for each station should be taken into full consideration. He also suggested that ITP go on its field station construction after its successful management of 2-3 stations.

Held annually, the academic directory committee will set the general direction for ITP’s future development and research focus of the scientific staff doing relevant studies.