A high-profile international academic seminar on Tibetan studies that highlights the value of Tibetan culture and other social issues began in Beijing on Thursday, the event's organizers said.

The seminar, the fifth of its kind held since 1991, will cover topics related to history, literature, archaeology, religion, Tibetan medicine and pharmacology, as well as contemporary politics and sustainable development, according to the event schedule.

The conference is an example of how Tibetan studies have developed, Professor Melvyn Goldstein from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio said after Wednesday afternoon's panel discussion.

"Conferences like this have helped the development of Tibetan studies by bringing scholars together to share ideas and learn from each other," he said.

The seminar is expected to be held every four years in the future, according to the organizers.