How can I go about with researching?

I am a student in Singapore and I want to research or possibly contribute in research on Mamdani’s pied a terre taxes. I have emailed a lot of professors in Singapore about their own research which I have been reading and whether I can contribute to it but haven’t received any responses. Not sure if I can just start my own without a university.
I wouldn’t mind not researching the exact thing I want to but would like some experience before enrolling to Uni. Do I keep emailing and hoping?