Expertise

I have been involved in tertiary education for more than ten years. My research on identity, multiculturalism, religion, education and business has been published in the form of books, journal articles, book chapters, op-ed articles and commentaries (see here). At present, I am directing the Centre for Advanced Research at the University of Brunei Darussalam. Prior to this, I was the convenor of the International and Asian Studies program at SMU, and I taught courses on Asia, Indonesia and diversity management.

 

I was a founding member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee (D&I) at SMU, which drives policy changes that reflect inclusion and equity for all students, staff, and faculty across the university. I co-developed a novel course  on 'Managing Diversity in Asia'. The course was described by the BBC as 'unconventional' in preparing students 'ready for work'  (see here) and was reported by The Straits Times as 'first of its kind in Singapore' (see here). The objective of teaching D&I is help students "to appreciate and be aware of the diversity in their surroundings so they will be able to appreciate those differences as assets rather than liabilities" (cited in The Straits Times, 27 March 2016).

​

My work on D&I has also brought me to working with and speaking at organizations and multinational companies such as the American Embassy in Singapore, Diversity and Inclusion in Asia Network (Hong Kong), GIC (Singapore), Deutsche Bank, and Barclays.

​

Besides teaching and research, I regularly present papers in international conferences, facilitate workshops and intercultural dialogue sessions, organize conferences, and engage in various consultancy activities with government ministries and government-funded agencies. I have delivered keynote speeches and presentations in more than 80 international conferences, workshops, and seminars. Recently, I have been invited to speak at the International Peace Conference in UNESCO, Paris; the ASEAN Forum at the University of Sydney, the International Think Tank Forum in Beijing, the Shanghai Forum, Asia Forum on Enterprise and Society in Manila, and China-ASEAN Think Tank Strategic Dialogue Forum in Nanning, China.

Research

 

My research interests encompass the following areas:

 

1. Chinese diaspora

2. ASEAN-China Relations

3. Social Issues in Brunei Darussalam

4. Asian business networks

5. Contemporary Asia/Indonesia

6. Multiculturalism

7. Race and ethnicty

8. Diversity and inclusion

9. Interfaith dialogue

10. Multicultural education

11. Reflexivity in practice and research

 

Teaching

 

I have taught various university-level courses on Asia, Indonesia and diversity:

 

1. Introduction to Asian Modern History, Politics and Economics

2. Asia Foundation Course

3. Exploring Asian Identities

4. Managing Diversity in Asia

5. Sociology of the Body

6. Anthropology of Religion

7. Understanding Culture

8. Study Mission to Indonesia

9. Interdisciplinary Course

10. Bahasa Indonesia

11. Issues in Asia-Australia Relations

12. Society and Culture in Indonesia

13. Popular Culture in Asia

14. Advanced Social Theory

15. Approaches to Asian Studies

Public Speaking

 

Institutions that have invited me to deliver keynote lectures and seminars include:

​

1. UNESCO, Paris

2. University of Oxford

3. University of Sydney

4. Brown University (USA)

5. Fudan University (China)

6. Arizona State University (USA)

7. Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

8. University of Western Australia

9. Copenhagen Business School

10. Harvard College in Asia

11. University of Hong Kong

12. East Asia Institute (Singapore)

13. National University of Singapore

14. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies

15. University of Malaya

16. Chonnam National University (S.Korea)

17. Middle East Technical University

18. Universiti Brunei Darussalam

19. National Museum of Taiwan History

20. National Chi Nan University of Taiwan

21. Tamkang University (Taiwan)

22. Sultan Iskandar Muda Foundation (Indonesia)

23. Petra Christian University (Indonesia)

24. Jakarta Theological Seminary

25. Indonesian Institute of Sciences

26. Atmajaya University (Indonesia)

27. The U.S. Embassy (Singapore)

28. East Asia Institute (Singapore)

29. LeftWrite Centre (Singapore)

30. The Humanist Society of Singapore

31. Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (Singapore)

32. Islamic Religious Council of Singapore

33. Fellowship of Evangelical Students (Singapore)

34. Diversity and Inclusion in Asia Network (Hong Kong)

35. Deutsche Bank (Singapore)

36. GIC (Singapore)

37. Sekar Group (Indonesia)

38. Ateneo de Manila University (Philippines)

39. University of Santo Tomas (Philippines)

40. Singapore Soka Association

41. Southeast Asian Studies Regional Exchange Program (Manila)

42. The Shanghai Forum

43. Chulalongkorn University

44. Pure Land Learning College (Australia)

45. Guangxi University for Nationalities

46. Asian Institute of Management

47. Guangxi University (China)

48. Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences

49. National Cheng Chi University (Taiwan)

50. National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan)

​