NCKU Excels in Cultivating International Talent: IMBA Student Eugene Hsu Wins Multiple Awards at 2026 Global Hult Prize-國立成功大學永續發展SDGs

By Eugene Hsu, Ching-Tzu Meng | Photo by Eugene Hsu, News Center


Eugene Hsu, an Indonesian master's student in the Institute of International Management (IMBA) at the College of Management, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), served as the Campus Director for the Hult Prize NCKU Campus Program. Leading his team, he achieved impressive results, winning "Top 1 out of 1,000+ Campus Programs," "World Program of the Year," and "Asia-Pacific Regional Program of the Year." This achievement not only demonstrates the international influence of NCKU students, but also highlights NCKU's accomplishments in nurturing interdisciplinary innovation and international talent.

Eugene Hsu shared that when he arrived at NCKU, his initial goal was simply to earn a degree, but the growth he experienced went far beyond his expectations. "When I entered NCKU, I was someone who could express himself; when I left, I had become someone who could bring about change," he said.

The NCKU Institute of International Management attaches great importance to combining theory with practice. It not only cultivates students' professional knowledge, but also provides opportunities to lead teams, design programs, build partnerships, and make impactful decisions. During his studies, besides serving as the Hult Prize NCKU Campus Director, Eugene Hsu also took on multiple responsibilities, including President of the IMBA Student Association, Student Representative on the Graduate Curriculum Committee of the College of Management, Research Assistant for the Ministry of Education's GIFT-STEM Program, and Graduate Administrative Assistant, accumulating extensive experience in team leadership and service.

"What I am most grateful for is that NCKU did not view me merely as an international student, but gave me full trust and support, allowing me to fulfill my potential as much as possible," Eugene Hsu expressed. Encouraged by NCKU, he graduated with the highest honor from the NCKU Institute of International Management, was awarded the Phi Tau Phi Scholastic Honor Society membership, represented the graduating class to deliver the commencement address, and led his team onto the international stage of the Hult Prize. He noted that the greatest takeaway from this academic journey was not the degree or awards, but building the confidence to believe in himself. He hopes his experience can encourage more young people to pursue their dreams bravely.

Recalling the moment he won the awards, Eugene Hsu's memory remains vivid. "When the host announced, 'The winner of the Asia-Pacific Regional Program of the Year is Eugene from National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan,' I held my breath. Before I even had time to react, I then heard that the winner of the World Program of the Year was also NCKU. In that moment, time seemed to stand still." All the efforts and challenges from the past year flashed through his mind, and he immediately picked up his phone to share this honor with his team partners, because "without these partners, there would be no program, and no results today."

Eugene Hsu believes that the key to the NCKU Campus Program standing out among more than 1,000 campus programs worldwide lies in creating a cross-college, cross-departmental, and cross-national innovation platform, enabling students of diverse backgrounds to believe that innovation is not a privilege reserved for a few, but a process in which everyone can participate.

Under his leadership, the team fully introduced a Chinese-English bilingual system to enhance opportunities for joint participation between local and international students; redesigned the judging process to provide more comprehensive and fair feedback; incorporated the Hult Prize into a 3-credit course; and adjusted the competition preparation schedule that previously tended to conflict with exams, allowing teams to fully commit to the competition. The entire program attracted over 300 participating students, fostered 23 startup teams, connected 26 partners and 35 industry experts, and established the Taiwan Campus Director Network, which currently maintains active cooperation and exchange with 5 universities. Additionally, the team established documents such as a Campus Director handbook, financial framework, MOU templates, and frameworks for promoting corporate sponsorships, enabling future teams to continuously refine their work on an existing foundation.

Looking back on his journey as Campus Director, Eugene Hsu considers the biggest challenges to be building team culture and redesigning the overall program structure. He believes that as long as one possesses a clear vision, a well-rounded system, genuine care for every partner, and gives full effort, one can unite the team and create change. "Challenges shaped this program, and this program shaped me."

To younger NCKU peers, he shared his key takeaway along the way: "Don't wait until you are fully ready to act." Many life-changing opportunities in his life often appeared when he was not fully prepared; if he had waited until he had sufficient confidence to act, he would not have become the Campus Director, nor would he have stood on stage representing the graduating class at commencement.

He also encouraged his younger peers that failure is not the end of a story, but often an important preparation for ushering in the next chapter; please cherish the partners who support you, as any meaningful achievement is never accomplished alone. "I hope that one day, when you look back on the path you have walked, what you feel is fulfillment, not regret."