Yi'En Cheng

Dr. Yi'En Cheng is Lecturer at NUS College of the National University of Singapore with a courtesy joint appointment in the Department of Geography. He concurrently serves as an Associate of Asia Research Institute's (ARI) Asian Migration Cluster. Previously, he was Research Fellow at ARI (2019-2022) and Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale-NUS College (2017-2019).

Cheng completed his Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford as recipient of the Oxford Clarendon and St Peter's Diggle Scholarships. He earned his Master of Social Sciences (2012) and Bachelor of Social Sciences with major in Geography and minor in Gender Studies (2010), both from NUS. He serves on editorial boards of Global Networks and Children's Geographies.

His research focuses on three intersecting strands: international student and youth mobilities, youth citizenship and politics, and education and globalization. Cheng examines how global changes affect young people's education, citizenship, and mobility experiences, particularly how education provides resources for young people to navigate social hierarchies and mobility regimes. His work has expanded to include rural and peri-urban contexts in China-Southeast Asia connections, especially regarding student mobility flows between southern China and northern Vietnam.

Cheng's publications span internationally peer-reviewed journals, books, and blogs, with notable works including the edited volume 19 Letters to Coronavirus and research on visual methods in overseas field-based learning. His work often employs innovative methodologies including photovoice and mobile research approaches.

• Member, Editorial Board, Global Networks
• Member, Editorial Board, Children's Geographies
• Recipient, Oxford Clarendon Scholarship
• Recipient, St Peter's Diggle Scholarship

Cheng teaches Global Experience (GEx) Mekong Delta and Impact Experience (IEx) in Vietnam under the Global Pathways programme, as well as contributing to classroom teaching in 'Understanding the Social World: Singapore and Beyond.' His teaching philosophy emphasizes challenging students' assumptions about the world and building upon their existing knowledge. He currently leads two major research projects: 'Belt and Road Initiative and Student Mobilities in China-Southeast Asia' (MOE Tier 2 grant) and 'Visual Methods in Overseas Field-Based Learning.'

His research lab focuses on international student migrations and educational mobilities, with geographic expansion beyond global cities to rural, peri-urban, and fringe cities. Through field engagements in GEx/IEx programs, Cheng has developed research on Chinese transnationalisms along the Belt and Road, Chinese/Southeast Asian student mobilities, and education-migration brokerage.