Educational Qualifications

2017
Doctorate in Education, University of Bristol, UK

1996
Master of Arts (English Literature), National University of Singapore

1992
Postgraduate Diploma in Education, National Institute of Education

1991
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) (English Literature), National University of Singapore

Academic and Professional Experience

2024
Assistant Executive Director, Institute for Adult Learning, Singapore University of Social Sciences

2020 - present
Director, Research Division, Institute for Adult Learning, Singapore University of Social Sciences

2019 - 2020
Centre Director, Centre for Innovation and Development, Institute for Adult Learning, SkillsFuture Singapore (Jan – Mar 2019); Singapore University of Social Sciences (Apr 2019 – present)

2016 - 2018
Deputy Director, Programme Planning and Partnerships, Institute for Adult Learning, SkillsFuture Singapore

2014 - 2015
Deputy Director, Enterprise Programmes Division, Workforce Development Agency

2013 - 2014
Deputy Director, Generic Skills Development Division, Workforce Development Agency

2009 - 2013
Deputy Director, Training Services; Professional Development Services, Institute for Adult Learning, Workforce Development Agency

1998 - 2009
Deputy Director, School of Communication, Arts and Social Sciences, Singapore Polytechnic

1997 - 1998
Assistant Training and Development Manager, United Overseas Bank Group

1992 - 1997
General Education Officer I, Temasek Junior College, Ministry of Education

Selected Publications

Book Section Editing:

Tan, R (2023) Section III: Lifelong Learning and Twenty-First Century Competences in Lee, W.O., Brown, P., Goodwin, A.L., Green, A. International Handbook on Education Development in the Asia-Pacific, Vol. 1. (Section Foreword pp. 357 - 360), Singapore: Springer.

Book Chapters:

Neild, M; Tan, R (2022) Innovation Initiatives in Enterprises: Advancing Learning at Work. In Evans, K., Lee, W.O., Markowitsch, J. and Zukas, M. (Eds), Third International Handbook on Lifelong Learning, Springer. 

Tan, R. (2015) Embracing new narratives in Singapore. In Trahar, S. and Yu, W.M. (Eds), Using narrative inquiry for educational research in the Asia Pacific (pp. 29-42). London: Routledge.

Tan, R. (2015) Stories from Singapore’s workplaces – a narrative inquiry approach. In Bound, H. and Rushbrook, P. (Eds.) Towards a new understanding of workplace learning: the context of Singapore. (pp. 88-101) Singapore: Institute for Adult Learning.

Journal Articles:

Tan, R. (2016) A new mix – learning in and from workplaces in Singapore today. International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 6(7), 225-231.

Tan, R. (2014) Uncovering a Singaporean way: learning amidst diversity. Journal of Workplace Learning, 26(6/7), 364-377. (This paper was selected for publication in this special issue of the Journal of Workplace Learning upon successful presentation at the Research in Work and Learning Conference at the University of Stirling in 2012.)

Doctoral Thesis (Unpublished):

Tan, R. (2017) The Native and the New: Tense Stories on Singaporean Ground. University of Bristol

More Information