Prior to becoming president, he served as the College’s Executive Vice President overseeing the academic and co-curricular aspects of the liberal arts experience at Yale-NUS College, including all faculty matters and academic affairs. 

President Tan was previously the Vice-Provost at the National University, in charge of student matters and residential living. He served as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and was concurrently Director of the Institute of South Asian Studies. An active member of the community, President Tan serves on numerous boards of various organizations. These include the National Heritage Board, the Indian Heritage Centre’s Advisory Board, the Board of Trustees of ISEAS-the Yusof Ishak Institute and the Management Board of the Institute of South Asian Studies. He is also the Honorary Chairman of the National Museum of Singapore and a member of the Singapore Bicentennial Advisory Panel. 

Abstract of speech: 

Education for a Complex World

The presentation will focus on the value of a liberal arts and sciences education in an increasingly complex and unpredictable job market that will constantly be disrupted by global changes and technology.
By veering away from narrow specialisation and an emphasis on areas of study for ‘career readiness’, a liberal arts  education aims to develop the intellectual and social attributes that are needed to deal with constant change, disruptions and complexities.  These attributes should instil the habit of questioning and the ability to learn how to learn.
I will share my experiences at Yale NUS College, which was established to re-define liberal arts and sciences for an interconnected and complex world.