Tibet University and University of Giessen in Germany signed an agreement to co-build a high-altitude medical lab and cooperate in teacher trainings, student exchange and medical research, on Sept 17, 2012.

A million euro worth of medical equipment will be invested in the future and the program is expected to start within a year, according to the German side.

The International Department of the Central Committee of the CPC invited a delegation of the Social Party of Germany (SPD) to Tibet in August 2011. It was led by Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel, member of the SPD Presidium, Hessian SPD regional chairman and leader of the party bloc in the Hessian state parliament. The delegation saw the geographic advantage and the academic potential of the cooperation. After visiting the medical school of Tibet University, the delegates came up with the idea of building a lab together to focus on lung disease research.

"IDCPC proposed some ideas on this program and communicated with both sides. Through inter-party relations, the cooperation is accelerated," Su Ping with IDCPC told the reporter.

"The fact that this project can be signed within 12 months shows that both sides have strong credibility. We have government representitives to sign the contract and the support the Chinese government offers is immense," said Gümbel.

The contract is for three years. "It takes 12 months to build the lab," said the German side. "University of Giessen will design and provide the technology and equipment. Once the lab is done, the project will begin right away."

"We will start researching pulmonary arterial hypertension and altitude sickness at first. We will have more arrangements for lab projects and personnel training," said Cui Chaoying, the vice dean of the medical school of Tibet University.