Yale-NUS President appointed S R Nathan Fellow

Prof Tan has been appointed as the S R Nathan Fellow for the period from 1 August 2018 to 31 May 2019

Professor Tan Tai Yong, President and Professor of Humanities (History) at Yale-NUS College, has been appointed by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) at the NUS Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy as the 6th S R Nathan Fellow for the Study of Singapore for the period from 1 August 2018 to 31 May 2019.

As S R Nathan Fellow, Prof Tan will conduct research on public policy and governance in Singapore, and deliver a series of IPS-Nathan Lectures at NUS.

Prof Tan graduated from NUS and obtained his doctorate at the University of Cambridge in 1992. He has been a faculty member of NUS History since 1992 and served as its Head of Department from 2000 to 2003. Prof Tan has held a number of senior appointments in NUS Arts and Social Sciences, including serving as Dean from 2004 to 2009. He was previously the Vice Provost (Student Life) from 2010 to 2014, overseeing student matters, the Centre for English Language and Communication, as well as University Town, Residential Colleges and Halls of Residence. He was the Founding Director of the Institute of South Asian Studies, a University-level research institute in NUS.

Prof Tan is valued beyond NUS for his expertise and serves as Honorary Chairman, National Museum of Singapore. In addition, he is Chairman of the National Collection Advisory Panel and a member of the Academic Research Panel at National Heritage Board. Prof Tan served as a Nominated Member of Parliament from 2014 to 2015 and was presented with the Public Administration Medal (Silver) at the 2009 National Day Awards.

The S R Nathan Fellowship was announced in 2013. Through the Fellowship, IPS aims to recognise the special contributions of Mr S R Nathan, Singapore’s sixth and longest-serving President, to public service and the development of the nation.