Educational Qualifications

2016 - 2020
Doctor of Philosophy in Education, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Thesis titled "Citizenship imaginations: An exploration of young Singaporeans' active citizenship"
2011 - 2012
Master of Education (Youth Development Leadership), University of Minnesota (Twin Cities), USA
2003 - 2005
Bachelor of Science (Physical Education & Sports Science, Social Studies) (Honours), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
2001 - 2003
Diploma in Education (Physical Education and Mathematics), National Institute of Education, Singapore

Academic and Professional Experience

2023 - Present
Senior Lecturer, Singapore University of Social Sciences

2019 - 2022
Head of Adult Learning Programme, Singapore University of Social Sciences

2016 - 2020
PhD candidate, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

2017
Research Associate, National Institute of Education, Singapore

2015 - 2016
Leadership Fellow, Asia Pacific Leadership Programme, East-West Center, Hawaii, USA
2014
Head (Values in Action & Partnerships), Ministry of Education, Singapore
2012 - 2013
Senior Curriculum Specialist (Character & Citizenship Education), Ministry of Education, Singapore
2008 - 2011
Curriculum Specialist (Character Development), Ministry of Education, Singapore
2006 - 2007
Head of Department for Physical Education & Co-Curricular Activities (Covering), Ministry of Education, Singapore
2005 - 2006
Teacher (Physical Education & Mathematics), Ministry of Education, Singapore

Awards and Honours

2018
21st Century Outstanding Service Award, East-West Center (EWC) Association, Hawaii, USA

2016
Victoria Doctoral Scholarship, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ

2015
Asia Pacific Leadership Program Fellow, East West Center, Hawaii, USA

2010
Post-Graduate Scholarship Award, Ministry of Education Singapore

2005
Nanyang Alumni Award – Service Award, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

2005
Nanyang Award - Humanity (Team), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

2003
Rotary International 75th Anniversary Gold Medal Award, Rotary Singapore

Selected Publications

Thaiyalan, S. G. (2026). Reimagining citizenship education through experiential pedagogy in higher education: Reflections from an interdisciplinary global learning programme. The Social Educator, 43(1), 28–44. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.T2026030600012801974486965

Thaiyalan, S. G., G., Wood, B. E., & Milligan, A. (2025). Citizenship imaginations: Igniting young people’s care, critique and citizenship action. Cambridge Journal of Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2025.2463388

Thaiyalan, S. G. (2024). Living as citizens and learning to be citizens. In J. Wyn, H. Cahill, & H. Cuervo (Eds.), Handbook of children and youth studies. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-8606-4_79

Thaiyalan, S. G., & Choo, L. W. (2023). A ‘good’ neoliberal citizen: A policy analysis of conceptions of young Singaporean citizens. Policy Futures in Education, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1177/14782103231190696

Thaiyalan, S. G. (2020a). Towards an education for active citizenship in Singapore. In A. Peterson, G. Stahl, & H. Soong (Eds.), The Palgrave handbook of citizenship and education (pp. 1–23). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67905-1_78-1

Thaiyalan, S. G. (2020b). Citizenship imaginations: An exploration of young Singaporeans' active citizenship (Doctoral thesis, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington). https://doi.org/10.26686/wgtn.17142074.v1

Thaiyalan, S. G. (2018). [Review of the book Teaching social studies for critical, active citizenship in Aotearoa New Zealand, by M. Harcourt, A. Milligan, & B. Wood]. Citizenship Teaching & Learning, 13(1), 151–157. https://doi.org/10.1386/ctl.13.1.151_5

Thaiyalan, S. G. (2010). A letter from Siva Treks, tracks and trails: Ventures and adventures abroad in the spirit of service learning (pp. v–xiii). Office of Teacher Education, National Institute of Education.

Tan, A.-G., D’Rozario, V., Tan, V., Victor, A. M., Yeo, K. S., Akhilandeswari, ., … Thaiyalan, S. G. (2009). International service-learning experiences: A perspective from character strength and positive affect. In G. K. Chuan, V. D’Rozario, A. C. Teck Heong, & C. Horn Mun (Eds.), Character development through service and experiential learning (pp. 126–139). Prentice Hall.

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