Around the end of April, 2008, the scientific program within the 7^th EU Framework kicked off in Beijing, entitled Coordinated Asia-European long-term Observing system of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau hydro-meteorological processes and the Asian-monsoon systEm with Ground satellite Image data and numerical Simulations (abbreviated as the CEOP-AEGIS). The kick-off conference attracted about 40 scientific staff from China, Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Japan. In particular, CAS members Profs Yao Tandong, Li Xiaowen and Liu Changming also sat in during the conference, which witnessed Prof. Massimo Menenti as its Principal Investigator (PI) and focused on general implementation approaches, annual implementation plans, team work within participants, sharing of research fruits and property rights and data base management.

With 3.24 million Euros as its funding, the program is planned to run for four years, starting from May 1, 2008. In its completion, based on current land surface material and satellite remote sensing data, water balance on the Tibetan Plateau will be studied through ground monitoring, satellite remote sensing and numerical simulations. About 17 research institutions and universities from eight countries participate in the program. The ITP is one of the few Chinese participating units, with Prof. Ma Yaoming as its team leader, and Profs. Kang Shichang, Tian Lide, Yang Kun, Liu Jingshi and Liu Xin as the team members.

Accordingly, scientific staff in the ITP will be responsible for Project 1: study of radiation, turbulent flux and monitoring of soil humidity on the Plateau. Besides, they will also be involved in Projects 3, 6 and 8, respectively dealing with estimation of land surface heat-water cycle using remote sensing, study of glaciers and snow melting, and water balance and output on the Tibetan Plateau.