Many of us drive or cycle past the £60m-plus Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS), on the Marston Road, wondering why it has been standing empty for so long.

It breathes top quality work and materials from every pore of the solid stone from which it is built, some of which has been imported from many countries; such as the granite from Yemen for instance.

According to the centre’s registrar, Richard Makepeace, the place is designed to last for centuries; and it is built to complement the style and architecture of university buildings in Oxford.

Mr Makepeace, until recently a British diplomat in Cairo, said: “We see it as very important that the building fuses architectural traditions of academic buildings in Oxford with the architecture of Islam.”

And certainly if, like me, you admire both, the place seems quietly impressive; nothing garish or loud here, just solid good quality construction. And beautiful too. Very much latter-day Carolean. Just what Prince Charles loves.

But of course I had to ask Mr Makepeace the question: who paid for it? And the answer was: “Contributions towards the building have come from a wide range of organisations, individuals, and governments — including Kuwait, Turkey and Malaysia.”

And any from the Libyan government?

“No, they were not one of our contributors,” said Mr Makepeace However, the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia alone provided £20m.

Even in its unfinished state, the building — with its Istanbul courtyard, its main quad with almost medieval-looking vaulted cloisters; its restrained mosque and its halls lined with intricately carved panels — is a peaceful place, conducive to quiet reflection; and I felt a little boorish in continuing, as I did, to press Mr Makepeace on the subject of how he felt about accepting money from autocratic, non-democratic governments. After all, who could possibly question the aims of an organisation designed — and well designed, in my opinion — to bring the worlds of Islam and the West closer together?

But diplomatic Mr Makepeace was unphased. He replied: “Just about all world-class academic institutions have grown thanks to the generosity of their benefactors.

“It is encouraging that many people have wanted to participate in the new building project, and the objectives of scholarship and international understanding which it represents.

“We regard this as a positive dimension to our work. But of course the work of the centre, its fellows, their research and teaching, enjoy total academic independence”

The centre has been a long time in the building. Work started in 2002 and it was originally scheduled to open in 2004. Then the trustees found that they were £25m short and work on the 3.25-acre site, bought from Magdalen College, ground to a halt.

Now Mr Makepeace says: “We are confident that we can meet our obligations and we are on target for opening in 2012.”

He added that the delay in opening had been caused by a refusal to compromise on quality. He said: “Producing the building we want takes the time it takes. We wanted a building that bears comparison with other Oxford landmarks. But we are on the final strait now.”

OCIS, which has Prince Charles as its patron, is now 26 years old. Its first home was a hut next door to St Cross Church. At present it occupies offices in George Street, with ten administrative staff.

There are also 15 visiting fellows and research fellows, and nine full fellows at the centre, plus a further six academic posts. There are at present 26 graduates and undergraduates studying at Oxford University and supported by OCIS.

The OCIS official relationship to the university is delicate. It is “A recognised Independent Centre of Oxford University.”

When I pointed out that some might call that a contradiction in terms, Mr Makepeace said: “We are independent in the sense that we promote study of a particular subject; a multi-disciplinary approach to study of the Islamic world; bringing together experts studying in a range of fields including economics, finance, history, anthropology and international relations.”

He added: “Fellows of the centre are normally also fellows of Oxford colleges and teach within the university. Our students are also members of colleges, matriculated within the university.”

Prince Charles, with his well known interest in architecture, gardens, and of course the inter-relationship between faiths, has taken a huge interest in the centre since becoming its patron in 1993. He took a prominent part in the design of the centre’s garden, with its geometric plantings and stone formations, which will be called the Prince of Wales Garden.

At last year’s lecture at the Sheldonian, held to mark the 25th anniversary of OCIS, the Prince touched on the subject of integrating minorities. He said: “Over the last 25 years, I have tried to find as many ways as possible to help integrate them into British society and to build good relationships between our faith communities. I happen to believe this is best achieved by emphasising unity through diversity. Only in this way can we ensure fairness and build mutual respect in our country. And if we get it right here then perhaps we might be able to offer an example in the wider world.”

The centre was conceived before the horrors of 9/11 and the recent upheavals in the Arab world, but Mr Makepeace contends that such happenings make this centre even more relevant. “The events make the mission of understanding and international co-operation even more important.”

Certainly, on the economic front, there is no denying that the new centre, which will provide accommodation for between 30 and 40 mainly graduate students, is a bonus for Oxford. As Mr Makepeace said: “It will generate income, students, and employment.”

And, we all hope, a wider understanding of differing world cultures too.