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• Department : THUPR
• Category : NEWS
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• Date : 2026-05-05

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of Tunghai University, President Kuo-En Chang and EMBA Alumni Association Chairman Cheng-Hsiung Lin led a record-breaking 70-member team to challenge the Gobi Desert in Dunhuang, China. Competing alongside top institutions including National Taiwan University, National Chengchi University, National Sun Yat-sen University, National Cheng Kung University, Peking University, Tsinghua University, The University of Hong Kong, and the National University of Singapore, Tunghai EMBA stood out on the international stage. Over the course of four days and three nights, covering a total distance of 120 kilometers, the Tunghai team successfully completed the grueling challenge. All members crossed the finish line and brought home four prestigious awards. President Chang and Chairman Lin personally ran alongside participants, embodying the belief that education extends beyond knowledge—it is a journey that strengthens the mind and shapes character.

To mark Tunghai University’s 70th anniversary, President Kuo-En Chang and Chairman Cheng-Hsiung Lin led a record 70-member team to challenge the Gobi Desert in Dunhuang.

Amid strong winds, sandstorms, and freezing desert conditions, the 20th Gobi Challenge officially commenced in Dunhuang. This marked President Chang’s first time leading the Tunghai EMBA team into the desert. Not only was it the largest team in Tunghai’s history, but it also became one of the focal points among EMBA programs across Taiwan and leading universities in Asia. Together with NTU, NCCU, NSYSU, and NCKU, Tunghai formed a powerful presence representing Taiwan’s academic excellence.

President Chang remarked, “The true meaning of education lies not only in the transmission of knowledge, but in the cultivation of resilience and character.” Now in its 20th year, the Gobi Challenge has evolved into more than a race—it is a journey that transcends borders, politics, and cultures. Walking along the historic Silk Road, participants gain a profound appreciation for human perseverance and determination. By trekking alongside Chairman Lin, Vice Chairman Tien-Tsai Lin, Gobi Association Chairman Chih-Yuan Lu, CEO Pei-Yen Shen, EMBA leaders, and fellow participants, President Chang emphasized that the experience is a form of “education in motion,” where individuals learn trust, courage, and resilience under extreme conditions.

President Chang emphasized that education is not only about knowledge, but about cultivating resilience and character.

Chairman Lin noted, “Marking the university’s 70th anniversary with a 70-member team is not only a milestone, but also a meaningful legacy. This journey reflects teamwork, trust, and leadership.” He highlighted that the Gobi Challenge has become a signature event for Tunghai EMBA and the global Chinese EMBA community, attracting over 5,000 participants this year. “In business, we rely on strategy and decision-making; in the desert, every step is a practice of our core values.”

Professor Pi-Huang Chin of the Department of Business Administration, who has led students in this challenge for over a decade, described the event as a long-standing EMBA tradition. “In the desert, we are no longer simply professors and students—we are companions facing adversity together. Participants learn to manage stress, cherish the present, and develop resilience through hardship. This is one of the most valuable lessons of EMBA education.”

The Gobi Challenge has become a signature tradition of Tunghai EMBA, where participants learn to manage stress, cherish the present, and build resilience through adversity.

President Chang further added that Tunghai EMBA has participated in the Gobi Challenge for eleven consecutive years, consistently earning honors such as the “Team Spirit Award” and the “Shackleton Award.” This year’s “70th Anniversary, 70 Participants” initiative once again demonstrated intergenerational unity and the enduring mission of education, showcasing the spirit of “Tunghai 70.”

On the final day of the race, the team encountered a severe sandstorm. Despite the harsh conditions, not a single member dropped out, and all persevered to complete the challenge—demonstrating remarkable determination and team spirit. The team ultimately received four awards: the Shackleton Award, the Endeavor Award, the Cultural Excellence Award, and the Legacy and Beyond Award, setting a new record in team history.

The Tunghai team received four major awards: the Shackleton Award, the Endeavor Award, the Cultural Excellence Award, and the Legacy and Beyond Award—marking a historic achievement.

At the finish line, President Chang personally welcomed each finisher with warm embraces and congratulations. He reflected, “Walking through the desert, we come to understand that seventy years represent the continuation of belief, and seventy participants symbolize the passing on of spirit. Tunghai’s journey across the Gobi is not only about pushing limits, but about striving to surpass ourselves.”

Seventy years represent the continuation of belief, and seventy participants symbolize the passing on of spirit. Tunghai’s Gobi journey is not only a challenge of endurance, but a pursuit of self-transcendence.

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