Geshe Thupten Wangchen received full ordination from His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1988 and, after 23 years of committed study, was awarded the Lharampa degree in 1998. He went on to share his knowledge with both Tibetan and Western students at Kopan Monastery in Nepal, and later served as a tenured lecturer in Buddhist philosophy at Varanasi University in India.
At the request of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, he accepted the role of Resident Teacher at Dorje Chang Institute and arrived in New Zealand in June 2003. Over the past 21 years, he has guided many students through the principles of Buddhist philosophy and psychology, offering teachings that are both deeply rooted in tradition and accessible to modern audiences.