She received her B.A. (Honours) in History from the National University of Singapore and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from Institute of Education, University of London. Both her Masters in Modern International Studies (Distinction) and Ph.D. are from the Institute for International Studies, University of Leeds. Her Ph.D. thesis was a comparative study of population resettlement programme as a counterinsurgency strategy during the Vietnam War and the Malayan Emergency. Her current research and publication interests are in multicultural studies, heritage studies and international relations.