Highlights:

• SIDRA is an institution for thought leadership in negotiation and dispute resolution.
• It provides an international platform and network, engages in research and development (R&D) and provides training and consultancy services.
• These functions are grounded in SIDRA’s three strategic pillars which consist of fostering ideas, generating innovation and sharing insights.

In the first part of our blog series, we identified the various Singapore dispute resolution institutions and explained what they do. In the second part of our blog series, we explored the thinking that underlies the Singapore dispute resolution institutions and how they fit into a larger plan to establish Singapore as an international dispute resolution hub. Following from the first two parts, we now move into the third part, which looks at the following question:

(C) What is the Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy (SIDRA) and what does SIDRA do?

This is a question that we often receive in our interactions with stakeholders, partners and clients – and a question that is not easily answered because of SIDRA’s relatively unique nature.

It is perhaps easier to start with what SIDRA is not. To answer this question, we refer to the first part of our blog series. Unlike the Singapore Judiciary (including the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) as part of the Supreme Court), the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), the Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC) and the Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC), SIDRA does not provide dispute resolution services. Unlike the Singapore International Mediation Institute (SIMI), SIDRA is not a professional standards body.

What then is SIDRA?

SIDRA is an institution for thought leadership in negotiation and dispute resolution. It is a subsidiary of the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) and SMC and a non-profit organisation supported by the Ministry of Law.

SIDRA serves three functions. Firstly, SIDRA provides an international platform and network. Secondly, SIDRA engages in research and development (R&D). Thirdly, SIDRA provides training and consultancy services.

Let us explore each function in greater detail.

1. International platform and network

Information flows via interaction and ideas are often borne out of conversations.

SIDRA provides an international platform for such interactions and conversations, between stakeholders and thought-leaders from the world over.

Being centred in the heart of the Asia, SIDRA is well-placed to serve as a venue where people interested in negotiation and dispute resolution can converge to exchange, explore and develop ideas on theory, practice and policy development.

People can look forward to SIDRA’s think-tank and community events, which aim to bring together the leading minds from practice, academia and government to discuss issues and trends and to develop solutions and strategies.

The SIDRA community also doubles up as a network of experts that governments and businesses can tap on when faced with new developments and challenges in negotiation and dispute resolution.

2. R&D

Issues may require exposition and clarity, trends may require exploration, and challenges may beget the need for solutions and strategies.

SIDRA thus engages in R&D, in collaboration with local, regional and international academic and industry partners. SIDRA’s R&D initiatives range from research papers, academic publications and industry surveys to think tank events and research workshops. Focus is placed on generating actionable outcomes that are useful to those in practice and policy.

SIDRA’s location at the Singapore Management University provides it with ready access to a community of academics and researchers when it engages in R&D.

3. Training and consultancy

Insights can only empower effectively when they are imparted well and incorporated into action.

With this in mind, SIDRA provides training and consultancy services to those seeking skills, strategies and systems in negotiation and dispute resolution. SIDRA typically works with business executives, lawyers, mediators, government officials, judicial officers and trainers.

Members of SIDRA’s international faculty facilitate programmes that are based on the latest practice-based research. These programmes, either public or private, are focused on the individual and cover a broad variety of topics. The private programmes are customisable. Some programmes lead to professional accreditation, which provides participants with formal recognition and certification of their skill-set. Some programmes are developed in collaboration with SIDRA’s partners.

Where solutions are required at a more “macro” level, SIDRA helps businesses and governments to design, develop and establish systemic frameworks for conflict management and dispute resolution.

These three functions are grounded in the three strategic pillars that support SIDRA’s role as an institution for thought-leadership:

1. Fostering ideas (international platform and network);
2. Generating innovation (R&D); and
3. Sharing insights (training and consultancy).

These strategic pillars constitute a full value chain that begins with the generation of new ideas on an international platform and network, moves into distillation of those ideas into innovations through research and development, and ends with the sharing of innovative insights through training and consultancy.

Conclusion

In summary, SIDRA is an institution for thought leadership in negotiation and dispute resolution. It (i) provides an international platform and network; (ii) engages in research and development (R&D); and (iii) provides training and consultancy services. These functions are grounded in SIDRA’s three strategic pillars which consist of (i) fostering ideas; (ii) generating innovation; and (iii) sharing insights. 

STAY TUNED. In the final part of this 4-part blog series, “The Singapore Dispute Resolution Institutions – What and Why”, we will examine the question of, “Why SIDRA?” If you found this post helpful, hit the Facebook "Share" button below and like SIDRA's Facebook page!

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