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Shri Ashtapad Maha Tirth - II
a steering committee, consisting of members representing all major participating scientific disciplines, which will be responsible for directive decisions, actions and guidelines, regular workshops and meetings, partly embedded in bilateral Sino-German meetings and with other international guests (see also 4.3), an internet platform providing the necessary infrastructure for interdisciplinary scientific discussion and a web page jointly maintained and serving as an information source for public media, the use of an established database system, PANGAEA (http://www.pangaea.de),
facilitating the flow of information and exchange of data. 4.3 International networking and logistics for field studies in Tibet TiP will be based on a strong Sino-German collaboration, systematically prepared and established by various contracts (see box “How TiP evolved"). Recognising the particular importance of environmental issues related to the Tibetan Plateau, the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2003 launched the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (ITP). The ITP will be the main partner institution on the Chinese side. The science plan presented here was jointly developed with ITP. This science plan represents both a strengthening of common research aims by combining resources and a meaningful extension of the multidisciplinary approach by complementary studies. The ITP will provide the necessary support for field work campaigns in Tibet (permits, cars, etc). Financial regulations are issued in a contract signed in August 2005 (see box "How Tip evolved") and correspond to the general arrangement of DFG and NSFC. When conducting joint field campaigns both sides shall pay for their own costs.
The principles of ITP
(texts from: http://www.itpcas.ac.cn/system/english.asp) "... Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (ITP) is one of the newly established research units by new systems and modes, to meet the demands of national economic and social development and international forward scientific research..." "...ITP will develop into an institute open to researchers worldwide, and strive to become the international center of the Tibetan Plateau research..." "...center on core scientific issue of the uplift processes of the Tibetan Plateau and its impact upon climates of Asia and Northern Hemisphere, to research the geodynamics of the Tibetan Plateau, to monitor and simulate the land surface processes, to study the biogeochemical processes and the adaptability of species, to investigate the genetic resources in an extreme environment..."
Besides prime collaboration with ITP, many other Chinese institutions are already involved in past and running project activities and are welcome to join individual proposals within Tip. TiP will only support proposals in which a Chinese partner is involved and his/her role is clearly defined. Also the bilateral exchange of scientists, especially young scientists, is a prerequisite. This will guarantee the bilateral support and both sides will benefit from their particular instrumental facilities and expertise.
Tibetan Plateau: Formation-Climate-Ecosystems
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