Dr. Vincent Palacio Confirmed President of the University of Belize

Vincent Palacio

In July 2021, it was announced that Doctor Vincent Palacio, the then Dean of the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences at the University of Belize, would be named the Interim President of the national university. One year later, Doctor Palacio has been confirmed as the President of the University of Belize. It is a move that the Minister of Education Francis Fonseca says will take the flagship tertiary level institution to the next stage in its twenty-two years of existence.

Francis Fonseca

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education, Culture, Science & Technology

“Just yesterday we celebrated in Belmopan, on the UB Campus, the twenty- second anniversary of the founding of our national university. As you said, Dr Vincent Palacio has been the Acting Interim President. That process is undertaken by the Board of Trustees. They have a comprehensive search process. They appointed a search committee. They advertised widely. I think they had, I believe based on the report I received, they had about six applicants. They engaged in a comprehensive process, interviews, and at the end of the day, the recommended, because as you know under the UB Act the president is appointed by the Governor General with the advice of the Prime Minister, so at the end of that process, the search committee recommended that Dr Vincent Palacio be appointed to the post. That recommendation was accepted by the Cabinet, the Prime Minister. He consulted with the leader of the Opposition and the Governor General would then proceed.  I think we have had a number of; I have an opportunity at the invitation of the Board, to meet with them and talk with them about my vision for the University. I think we have a shared vision. I think Dr Palacio understands that the University of Belize is actually the flagship institution of our education system. It has to be a leading voice, a leading light in education. It has to be at the forefront of national development issues. That is something I have stressed, and I think they understand that.”