Research Affiliates Programme

My experience with the STARI Research Affiliates Programme has been both professionally enriching and personally meaningful. The Programme provided high-quality training in academic research and writing, while creating opportunities to engage with leading tax academics and practitioners in Singapore and abroad. Through seminars, conferences and research activities, I gained a broader perspective on international tax developments and the role of research in shaping tax policy and practice. 

 

 

One of the most rewarding aspects of the Programme was the opportunity to conduct tax research alongside like-minded academics and professionals. It encouraged me to think critically, challenge assumptions, and evaluate diverse perspectives to develop balanced views grounded in evidence. The research and writing process also reinforced the importance of objectivity and constructive academic discourse.

 

 

I am deeply grateful for the guidance and mentorship of Ms Chua Jia Ying, Assistant Professor Vincent Ooi, Dr Yvonne Guo and Mr Koh Soo How. Their generosity in sharing their expertise truly reflects the values and ethos of the Programme.

The academic rigor of doing research is similar to coming up with a piece of client advice but the latter generally has a fact pattern that helps frame the problem statement.

 

 

Doing research is a mix of discovering the latest literature on a particular topic, corroborating the source and deciding if you can add something new to it. One can become lost in the immense literature available. Considerable time was spent on research and making multiple iterations on a draft. Looking back, I should have locked myself in a room, thrown away the keys and just write. There are too many worldly distractions. This could have saved me some time. My first somewhat sensible draft was produced in the serene and beautiful mountains where I could not do anything else. 

 

 

Despite the challenges, this was a meaningful learning process. There is a great deal of learning and unlearning in this cyclical process of reading and writing. My thoughts get clearer with each iteration. The STARI Research Affiliates Programme, in my personal opinion, does contribute to personal growth.

 

 

The grace of the programme is the immense support from the people at SMU. The academic mentorship from Professor Vincent Ooi and Ms Chua Jia Ying, through regular discussions over meals, challenged ideas, clarified doubts and offered useful suggestions. They, in their way, provided mental and emotional support that helped smooth the process and I did not feel that I was writing the research paper alone.

 

 

Finally, a big shout out to the SMU librarians and IT support team who were always there to provide technical support on online access to the research databases. 

As I sum up my experience, the process was arduous but definitely comes with immense personal satisfaction.  I hope that my research piece is relevant and that it brings a tiny piece of knowledge to this big world.