# Center for Islamic Economics and Finance

**Source**: https://www.hbku.edu.qa/en/cis/research/cief
**Parent**: https://www.hbku.edu.qa/en/research-institutes-centers

## Overview

In the contemporary world, the principles, premises, and institutions of Islamic economics are increasingly becoming relevant for the formulation of policies and management of economies and businesses. Islamic finance is one of the fastest growing areas of international finance.

New products are continuously emerging, and those wishing to participate in this exciting and dynamic field have to be knowledgeable about both the principles of Islamic economics and finance and contemporary developments in the international financial industry. A particularly high concentration of Islamic financial institutions in the Middle East calls for localized research that offers the industry concrete analysis, new ideas, and contextual maps of past, present, and future events.

Legal, regulatory, and market environments are rapidly changing., and under such dynamic conditions, the Center for Islamic Economics and Finance (CIEF) was established in 2010 to provide students, faculty, and visiting scholars a resource rich environment to help put them on the cutting edge of contributions in their field. In 2014, Dr. S. Nazim Ali, former director of Harvard’s Islamic Finance Project, took over as the Center’s director. Today, he is guiding CIEF towards its vision of contributing to an ethically grounded global economy.

##### Vision

The CIEF sees itself as a global center of excellence in the scientific discipline of Islamic economics and finance, promoting economic justice and prosperity through the development of genuine financial products, monetary and fiscal policies, and business and trade practices. The Center envisions its research as providing contextual maps for ethically grounded economies.

##### Mission

CIEF’s mission is to produce policy-relevant basic and applied research with concrete analysis of national, regional, and international developments in Islamic economics and finance that can expand the body of knowledge about genuine financial products, economic development, and financial inclusiveness and sustainability. To these ends, the CIEF individually and in partnership with other institutions will focus on the following areas:

- Islamic economic institutions, inclusiveness, and empowerment
- Innovative and genuine financial products
- Inclusive and sustainable monetary, fiscal, and financial sector development policies
- Promotion of trade, investment, and business in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation region

## Objectives

Planning and producing impactful research

Supporting the research needs of the faculty

Organizing research events, conferences, workshops, seminars, etc.

Establish research networks locally and internationally

Develop proposals for external funding of research

Critically review Islamic financial products, institutions, and markets

Coordination of research and teaching of Islamic economics and finance for ethically grounded economies