Professor Tang has served in senior academic and management positions in local and overseas universities and possesses rich management experience in higher education institutions. He was Dean and Professor of Political Science at the School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University (SMU), from 2011-2018 and from 2014 concurrently served as Special Adviser to the President of SMU on Greater China affairs.

Before assuming his position at SMU, Professor Tang had served in the University of Hong Kong and was the Head of the Department of Politics and Public Administration from 1999. During 2002 to 2006, he was the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, and from 2007 to 2010, he was Professor in the Department of Politics and Public Administration while serving as Director of the Master of International and Public Affairs Programme. Over the years, he also held visiting appointments at renowned universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and on the Mainland.