Events

Welcome to BELPRI's Events page – your central hub for engaging with cutting-edge research, policy discussions, and opportunities for professional development through our upcoming BELPRI events, workshops, past BELPRI events, and seminars.

Upcoming Events

There are currently no upcoming events. Stay tuned for announcements!

See our past events below.

Past Events

BELPRI Launch

The Belize Policy Research Institute at the University of Belize (BELPRI-UB) was officially launched on March 24, 2025, in Belmopan, with Dr. Dylan Vernon as its first Executive Director. As UB’s newest independent, multi-disciplinary policy institute, BELPRI aims to produce high-quality, evidence-based research to support informed policymaking and sustainable development in Belize. UB President Dr. Vincent Palacio and BELPRI Chairman Henry Anderson both highlighted the institute’s critical role in addressing national challenges through local research. Dr. Vernon emphasized BELPRI’s mission of “Bridging Knowledge to Power” by linking UB’s expertise with national policy needs. Early projects include studies on political financing and Belize’s post-independence economy, alongside plans for training workshops and an online policy tracker. Historian Dr. Assad Shoman delivered a keynote urging transformative change and stressing the need for institutional independence.

Elections and You

BELPRI-UB and the Intercultural Indigenous Language Institute (IILI), in collaboration with other University of Belize (UB) partners, hosted an event to foster dialogue and share information with students and the wider UB community regarding the 2025 national elections in Belize. The event was participatory, interactive, dynamic, and non-partisan, featuring a general overview from one resource person, short presentations by UB and Galen students, and reflections from three additional persons to stimulate plenary discussion. The event was live-streamed on the UB Facebook page.

Launch

The official launch of BELPRI-UB held on March 24, 2025.

Belize Diaspora Summit

BELPRI's Executive Director, Dr. Dylan Vernon, participated in the Belize Diaspora Summit under the theme" Advancing Policy Through Collaboration" in Fort Lauderdale, FL from July 10th – 12th 2025. Watch the discussion here.

Business Perspective Show

Join Dr. Vernon on LoveFM as he discusses BELPRI and our recent research and publication.

Our Belizean Memory

Dr. Dylan Vernon, the Executive Director of BELPRI, joins the UB Series "Our Belizean Memory" as a special guest. The episode, "Coming of Age with Independence: Memories of 1979 to 1981 Belize," was hosted by Open & Distance Learning and featured collaborators Dr. Abigail McKay and Mr. Delmer Tzib. This event took place on March 28, 2025.

Seminars

BELPRI - Virtual Seminar

On May 29, 2025, BELPRI hosted a virtual seminar titled "Agricultural Settlement and Structural Change: The Case of Mennonites in Belize", presented by Ms. Elena Stacy, a PhD candidate at the University of California, Berkeley. Stacy, an environmental and development economist, shared her research on the long-term impacts of Mennonite agricultural settlements in Belize, using remote sensing data to analyze land use changes and their broader economic effects. Her study aims to model how agricultural expansion influences land allocation and development outcomes. The seminar drew over 30 participants and featured engaging discussion and feedback.

Understanding Belize’s Economic Challenges

On June 25, 2025, the Belize Policy Research Institute at the University of Belize (BELPRI-UB) held a seminar to launch its first major research paper, "The Belizean Economy in the 21st Century: When and Why Belize Fell Behind and What to Do About It", by Professor Victor Bulmer-Thomas. Held at the UB Conference Centre in Belmopan, the event featured a presentation by Professor Bulmer-Thomas, who explored Belize’s economic stagnation over the past two decades and proposed the use of Input-Output tables to guide policy priorities. The seminar included a panel discussion with Mr. Emory Ford (Central Bank of Belize), Mr. Carlos Pol (Ministry of Economic Transformation), and Dr. Philip Castillo (UB Faculty of Management and Social Sciences).

The full paper, along with "Brok it Down" and "In Brief" summaries, is now available under our Publications section.

The Belizean Economy

On June 24, 2025, BELPRI launched a new research paper titled "The Belizean Economy in the 21st Century: When and Why Belize Fell Behind and What to do About It." Watch the full event and presentation by author Professor Victor Bulmer-Thomas.

Agricultural Settlement and Structural Change

Watch the BELPRI virtual seminar from May 29, 2025, titled "Agricultural Settlement and Structural Change: The case of Mennonites in Belize." The presentation was delivered by Ms. Elena Stacy, a PhD candidate at the University of California, Berkeley.

Workshops

Stay tuned for updates on our workshops!