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SINGAPOREMay 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Singapore Management University (SMU) – Zhejiang University Doctor of Business Administration (SMU-ZJU DBA) (Accounting and Finance) team became the first SMU team to complete the prestigious “Business School Gobi Friendship Race” (also known as “Gobi to West”). Among over 100 participating teams from top business schools and executive programs in the region, SMU stood out to uniquely receive the “Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Team Model Award” presented by the event.
Led by the SMU School of Accounting, the team of 14 members successfully completed a grueling 58-kilometer trek through the Gobi Desert, earning this honor for their outstanding environmental practices, teamwork, and thought leadership in sustainability.
The four-day challenge is recognized as one of the most prestigious endurance events in the EMBA and DBA fields across Greater China, bringing together corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and doctoral students to test resilience, leadership, and collaboration in extreme desert conditions. This year’s event centered on ESG and “Business for Good” as its core themes.
The award recognizes the SMU team’s exceptional performance in systematically implementing ESG principles in a real-world environment. Over the four-day race, the team endured temperatures of up to 30 degrees Celsius, traversed rugged terrain, and closely coordinated with participants from over 40 institutions, translating sustainability concepts into tangible actions.
The event organizers also specifically noted that the SMU team integrated academic research into the endurance challenge, praising their professional contributions to the ongoing development of the event’s ESG framework. The team comprised 14 entrepreneurial doctoral students and alumni, who manage businesses while pursuing doctoral research, reflecting the program’s philosophy of combining academic rigor with practical leadership.
The citation particularly commended the team for adhering to the “Leave No Trace” principle to minimize environmental impact; organizing inter-university exchanges to foster camaraderie and promote ESG principles; and contributing to advancing the challenge’s sustainability framework.
“Becoming the sole recipient of this award among a hundred teams is a remarkable achievement and a powerful affirmation of SMU’s firm commitment to putting sustainability principles into practice,” said Professor Zhang Liandong, Dean of the SMU School of Accounting. He personally led the team and was invited to serve as the starting official for the event’s 121-kilometer competitive race.
“In this Gobi challenge, we were required to uphold ESG principles in the most demanding conditions. Walking 58 kilometers, the greatest challenge was not physical endurance, but mental resilience: staying determined and pressing forward in the harsh desert. The same applies to running a business or leading a team—under pressure, we must make responsible decisions, support one another, and hold fast to shared values,” said participant Wang Yi (SMU-ZJU DBA Class of 2025, Managing Director at Huatai United Securities).
Beyond the trek, Professor Zhang Liandong and SMU-ZJU DBA alumni also engaged in the event’s academic agenda through keynote speeches on artificial intelligence and panel forums, exchanging insights with executives and doctoral students from business schools across Asia.
This achievement further solidifies SMU’s position in the region’s executive education landscape, showcasing the university’s excellence in cultivating mission-driven leaders who combine academic prowess with social impact.
About the SMU-ZJU DBA (Accounting and Finance) Program
The SMU-ZJU DBA (Accounting and Finance) program is a collaboration between the SMU School of Accounting and the Zhejiang University School of Management. The program is designed for scholars and senior executives who wish to engage in practice-oriented academic research and further influence business practices. In addition to academic training, DBA candidates will enhance the practical application of theory through coursework and develop teaching capabilities through specialized training. Candidates will acquire a range of skills in theoretical learning, practical application, and effective teaching in the fields of accounting and finance.