Qatar has launched a new research center that will work to address the role of Islamic ethics in today’s world, especially in the realms of environment, gender, economics, education, art and bioethics.

First lady Sheikha Mozah inaugurated the Research Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics on Sunday during a one-day conference on Islamic ethics.

The center, which will be directed by renowned Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan, is based in Qatar Foundation’s Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies and will also operate two branch offices in Oxford and Paris.

The Peninsula reports:

“Islamic scholars and research centres can benefit greatly from engaging with the experts in modern fields that have been untouched by the parameters of traditional questioning,” said Dr Ramadan.

“We aim to provide not only a theoretical framework, but also concrete contributions and practical applications in areas that are current and relevant to 21st Century communities, Muslim and non-Muslim alike,” he said.

CILE’s website is pretty barebones at the moment, but does mention that it wants to start by focusing on applying ethics to the environment.

Thoughts?