China's first Tibetan medicine university trains over 7,000 talents over 30 years
On November 16, Traditional Tibetan Medicine University of Tibet, China's first university for Tibetan medicine, held its 30th anniversary in Lhasa, capital city of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.
Nyima Tsering, the President of Traditional Tibetan Medicine University of Tibet, said that Tibetan medicine is a crucial part of outstanding traditional Chinese cultural heritage, with a long history, systematic theoretical system, rich clinical experience, complete diverse disciplines, unique diagnosis and treatment methods and various cultural carriers.
The former name of Traditional Tibetan Medicine University of Tibet was Tibetan Medicine School of Tibet University. Founded in 1989, it became independent in 1993 as the Yaowangshan Tibetan Medicine College. In 2001, the college's name was changed to Tibetan Medicine College of Tibet, and in 2018, it was formally renamed Traditional Tibetan Medicine University of Tibet.
Thirty years ago, as this first university for Tibetan medicine was established, it helped fill in the blank for education of Tibetan medicine in Chinese history, as well as being a trailblazer for modern and higher education in Tibetan medicine.
Zhang Xinxia, the Deputy Director of the Personnel & Education Department of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of China, believes that Tibetan medicine not only plays a critical role in Tibet, in recent years, it has also made an impact in inland China and the rest of the world. A comprehensive and effective Tibetan medicine service system has been established in Tibet and Tibetan-inhabited areas.
Dondrup is the Director of the Science and Research Department at the Traditional Tibetan Medicine University of Tibet. As a student, and then a teacher, he has experienced the changes over the past 30 years at the university.
After graduating in 1990, he stayed to teach. In the early phase of the university, there were less than 500 students in the technical secondary and undergraduate sections. Today, the university has trained over 7,000 students.
He also said that the university now offers more precise majors, and the number of curriculum has increased from the original 10 to more than 20 nowadays.