{"id":75029,"date":"2024-12-19T17:24:04","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T09:24:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.science.nus.edu.sg\/?p=75029"},"modified":"2024-12-19T17:26:32","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T09:26:32","slug":"what-a-121-km-trek-across-the-gobi-desert-teaches-us-about-self-transformation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.science.nus.edu.sg\/blog\/2024\/12\/what-a-121-km-trek-across-the-gobi-desert-teaches-us-about-self-transformation\/","title":{"rendered":"What a 121 km trek across the Gobi Desert teaches us about self-transformation"},"content":{"rendered":"<h6 title=\"Transformation is a passage for the bold and willing \u2013 it can be nudged in the right direction but the motivation must come from within. Our job as institutes of higher learning is to awaken and fuel that motivation.\">Transformation is a passage for the bold and willing \u2013 it can be nudged in the right direction but the motivation must come from within. Our job as institutes of higher learning is to awaken and fuel that motivation.<\/h6>\n<div id=\"attachment_75030\" style=\"width: 1930px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-75030\" src=\"https:\/\/www.science.nus.edu.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/gobitrek-1920.jpg\" alt=\"NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye (second from left) was part of the team from NUS that participated in the 19th Gobi Desert Challenge held from 1 to 4 October 2024. This was his fifth time trekking through the desert.\" class=\"wp-image-75030 size-full\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.science.nus.edu.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/gobitrek-1920.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.science.nus.edu.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/gobitrek-1920-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.science.nus.edu.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/gobitrek-1920-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.science.nus.edu.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/gobitrek-1920-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.science.nus.edu.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/gobitrek-1920-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-75030\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><span style=\"font-size: 12px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye (second from left) was part of the team from NUS that participated in the 19th Gobi Desert Challenge held from 1 to 4 October 2024. This was his fifth time trekking through the desert.<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>By Professor Tan Eng Chye<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">The formidable Gobi Desert is the perfect classroom in the wild, a fertile ground for self-discovery and transformation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">A 121 km trek through its harsh and punishing terrain is nothing short of a herculean task, not least due to the extreme temperatures that drop to lows of minus 6 degrees Celsius at night, then climb to highs of 29 degrees Celsius in the day. This autumnal weather \u2013 amid which I and a team of NUS EMBA students and alumni trekked, over four days and three nights \u2013 is in fact milder than the other seasons of the mercurial desert, but no less daunting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Forget about stopping to smell the roses; we were preoccupied with our survival and crossing the finishing line. We wore shoe covers to prevent sand from causing blisters, changed our socks twice a day to remove any sand that seeped in, and donned compression tights to reduce muscle fatigue. All this while lugging three litres of water on our backs, with the unrelenting sun beating down on us.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">We were finally rewarded with a breathtaking view during the last 5 km of our journey \u2013 an oasis in the wilderness. But any sense of reprieve was short-lived, as the shimmering waterhole that captivated us had to be trudged through too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">The annual\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ultragobi.com\/#\/home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gobi Desert Challenge<\/a>\u00a0pays tribute to the fortitude of Xuanzang, a Chinese Buddhist monk who undertook a similar journey to India more than 1,300 years ago. Today, it is a test of endurance and teamwork for top Asian business schools with Chinese Executive MBA programmes, with over 50 institutions participating this year.\u00a0This was my fifth time embarking on the trek, but it was immensely rewarding and I still learnt new lessons.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">The first was the importance of training and preparation. To understand, respect and embrace nature is to not underestimate it. The beauty of the desert lies in its harshness \u2013 while there were a few wild animals around, for most of the trek we were surrounded by a beautiful \u2013 but unforgiving \u2013 landscape of undulating hills, volcanic pebbles, salt beds, and hot desert sand. Even with modern technology and equipment, the journey remained challenging. We gained a profound respect for people of the past who faced these hardships head-on without such resources.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">The second lesson was the value of teamwork, grit and resilience. In the face of nature, we are miniscule against the vast expanse \u2013 however accomplished we might be in our professional day jobs. It is not every day that the CEO of Gong Cha Singapore or the Senior Principal of Furen International School are your trekking companions. Kang Puay Seng and Li Wei are veterans in their 60s who have participated in this challenge before, but wanted to prove they still possessed the tenacity to see it through. I could relate to that, as I wanted to test my limits after my partial knee replacement last February.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">While completing the trek might have been the main objective, there was a secondary goal: to ensure that all your teammates made it out safely. This required a keen understanding of team dynamics, including identifying those who needed extra support. We always had designated \u201csweep teams\u201d, made up of more experienced team members\u00a0whose responsibility was to ensure that no one was left behind. They took on the strenuous task of shuttling between parts of the trek to assist those who were trailing due to blisters or muscle cramps, and to clear the route ahead of any obstacles. Less experienced trekkers were also grouped with stronger teammates, paying homage to the adage that we are only as strong as the weakest link.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Third, and most importantly, the unpredictability of the natural elements, from sudden temperature fluctuations to shifting terrains, mirrors the realities of our world. We live in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment today, and more than ever do we need agility, adaptability and innovation to effectively navigate challenges.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">We may not have to battle a literal sandstorm in our everyday lives, but the same principles apply when it comes to responding to unexpected challenges, be it rapid technological disruptions or environmental crises.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">I believe that skills like situational awareness, teamwork and discipline are best taught and learnt outside the classroom \u2013 something our students understand well. In many ways, the Gobi Desert Challenge aligns perfectly with NUS\u2019 commitment to experiential education, which aims to cultivate well-rounded, resilient and culturally sensitive individuals who can thrive not just during but beyond their time at NUS.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>Everywhere is a classroom<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Not all students possess the natural drive and determination to learn independently. From the time we enter primary school, learning is dictated by a fixed curriculum. Teachers speak, students listen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">But experiential learning has sparked a significant shift in mindset. It is learning by doing, not just passively absorbing. Rather than educators mandating what should be learnt, students are given the opportunity to take charge of their own learning by stepping outside the classroom and engaging with real-world problems. It is a matter of triggering their interest. Once that is achieved, people will learn independently, and they will learn deeply.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Pre-COVID, the Gobi Desert Challenge was compulsory for our EMBA students. Although this requirement has since been lifted, the event has remained an important part of the cultural fabric of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/bschool.nus.edu.sg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NUS Business School<\/a>. In fact, the enthusiasm has only ramped up. This year\u2019s contingent is the University\u2019s largest since it first participated in the challenge in 2007, surpassing 100 members for the first time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">This comes as no surprise. In recent years, experiential learning has become part of the DNA of our MBA programme. It is why students are inducted into the programme through a five-day boot camp called \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/mba.nus.edu.sg\/mba-life\/experiential-learning-at-the-nus-mba\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Launch Your Transformation<\/a>\u201d which aims to hone crucial leadership skills through a series of activities and discussions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">This approach is not just bespoke to the business school. Spontaneous and self-inspired learning is an institution-wide philosophy.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.nus.edu.sg\/nusone-a-holistic-approach-to-achieve-a-well-rounded-university-experience\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NUSOne<\/a>, NUS\u2019 latest initiative launched this year, complements our rigorous interdisciplinary education by providing more ground-up avenues to participate in student life and out-of-classroom experiences, encouraging greater self-directed growth among students in a free-ranging and organic way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">For instance, Wednesday afternoons are now mostly free from classes, allowing students to develop their interests outside the classroom, whether it be volunteering or participating in a wide range of co-curricular activities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">This is based on the fundamental belief that student life is an essential part of an education. Our students do not just go out to work; they should be well-rounded, active and responsible global citizens who can make a change in their communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Experiential learning is a necessary facet of higher education, and one that resonates closely with NUS\u2019 mission to educate, inspire and transform. Transformation is a passage for the bold and willing \u2013 it can be nudged in the right direction but the motivation must come from within. Our job as institutes of higher learning is to awaken and fuel that motivation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Next year, NUS celebrates its 120th anniversary. I have encouraged my EMBA students to convince their entire cohort to participate in the 20th edition of the Gobi Desert Challenge in 2025. As leaders in their own right, their biggest challenge lies in their personal evolution. With my background in mathematics, I cannot help but see the meaning in numbers \u2013 120 years, 121 km, a shot to redefine yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><i>Professor Tan Eng Chye is President of the National University of Singapore and a mathematician.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.nus.edu.sg\/what-a-121-km-trek-across-the-gobi-desert-teaches-us-about-self-transformation\/\">NUS News<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Transformation is a passage for the bold and willing \u2013 it can be nudged in the right direction but the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":200,"featured_media":75030,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.6 (Yoast SEO v23.6) - 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