BEIJING, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Amid China's annual graduation season, a group of students in maroon robes received the "Tho Ram Pa" degree, a prestigious academic title equivalent to a doctorate in Tibetan Buddhism.

The certificate marked the culmination of a three-year journey of intensive study and practice in Buddhist teachings and broader academic subjects at the High-level Tibetan Buddhism College of China in Beijing.

Tucked away in the northern part of the Chinese capital, the college is located within the Yellow Temple Museum, a quiet compound marked by red walls, yellow-tiled roofs and old trees that contrast with the surrounding urban bustle.

The college brings together Tibetan Buddhist practitioners from the Xizang Autonomous Region and Tibetan-inhabited areas in the neighboring provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu, and Qinghai, providing a platform for modern Tibetan Buddhist education.

China's Tibetan Buddhist education system consists of three academic levels, corresponding roughly to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in religious studies.

This year, 34 monks from the Gelug, Sakya and Jonang sects received the "Tho Ram Pa" degree. Their shared study and debate at the college allows the natural bonding of practitioners of the different sects.

"The college mainly enrolls recipients of the intermediate academic title of Tibetan Buddhism, equivalent to a master's degree, and scripture-studying monks in monasteries," said Lurgyl Tsering, a teacher at the college.

Applicants are generally required to have devoted more than 10 years to study and practice in local monasteries or Buddhist colleges, with outstanding academic performance and conduct. They must also pass a selection process that includes written examinations and Buddhist debate tests.

At the college, scripture instructors from various Tibetan Buddhist sects teach classic contents of the Five Great Treatises, core Buddhist philosophical texts that form the backbone of scholastic curriculum in Tibetan monastic universities.

Students also have access to a diverse range of public courses and well-equipped facilities, including multimedia classrooms, libraries, sports venues, and other amenities.

"The college's approach aims to equip students with both a deep understanding of Buddhist teachings and an awareness of contemporary society," a college administrator said.

The curriculum also includes regular field trips to religious and cultural sites, places of historical interest, high-tech enterprises, as well as memorial halls and museums.

For student Lhapa Wangdu from Xizang, the visits offered a new perspective. "Firsthand exposure to modern manufacturing processes gave me a deeper understanding of the country's economic development," he said.

To receive the degree, the students have to pass a series of assessments, including qualification reviews, Buddhist debate examinations and thesis defenses.

The college currently has around 110 students enrolled. "It has held 22 ceremonies conferring the advanced academic title, with a total of 433 graduates awarded the 'Tho Ram Pa' degree," said the college administrator.

After graduation, recipients return to their home regions and monasteries, where they take on roles as scripture teachers, monastery administrators, members of Buddhist associations, or local political consultative bodies.

Working in various fields, the graduates have become part of the new generation of Tibetan Buddhist practitioners, helping preserve and pass on religious traditions.