On May 23, the 21st “Thorampa” Advanced Academic Title Awarding Ceremony of Tibetan Buddhism was held in the High-level Tibetan Buddhism College of China in Beijing. After 3 years of hard work, 36 students from the Gelug Sect, the Nyingma Sect, and the Bon-po Sect of Tibetan Buddhism finished school and received the graduation certificate from the Advanced Academic Title Class of the college. Following a rigorous qualification review process that included Buddhist scripture debating examinations, thesis defenses, evaluations, and voting procedures, all 36 students were awarded the advanced academic title of “Thorampa” in Tibetan Buddhism.

The 3-level academic title system of Tibetan Buddhism is a system for the cultivation of high-level monks of Tibetan Buddhism and awarding of academic titles which is unified among different religious sects of Tibetan Buddhism and formed by inheriting the traditional Buddhist sutra study system in Tibetan Buddhism temples and absorbing advanced concepts of modern education. The academic titles of Tibetan Buddhism are divided into primary, middle, and high levels, which are “Chenrampa”, “Chinrampa”, and “Thorampa”. Among them, the academic title of “Thorampa” is equivalent to a doctoral degree. Since its implementation in 2004, the High-level Tibetan Buddhism College of China has conferred the “Thorampa” Advanced Academic Title to 399 students from different sects of Tibetan Buddhism.