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

2026 - Present
Head of Youth Work & Professional Life-Coaching Programmes, Singapore University of Social Sciences

2022 - 2026
Senior Lecturer, Singapore University of Social Sciences

2019 - 2022
Lecturer & 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). Being & (Un)Becoming: Reimagining Youth Spaces as Third Places. Journal of Applied Youth Studies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43151-026-00235-z

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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