Center for Research and Development of Financial Wellbeing (CIDEBIF)

Abstract

Financial well-being has been established as an essential component for sustainable development, social equity, and the economic stability of nations. In the case of Costa Rica, despite its advances in education, democracy and environmental sustainability, structural challenges persist related to excessive household debt, low financial literacy, difficulties in accessing inclusive financial services and economic gaps that perpetuate poverty and inequality. Faced with this problem, the creation of the Financial Wellbeing Research and Development Center (CIDEBIF) is proposed, a comprehensive and innovative model aimed at applied research, education and financial inclusion. The center seeks to become a national and international reference, structuring its action into four strategic axes: financial literacy, development of skills and financial technology, economic inclusion and defense of financial consumer rights. The proposal is supported by a solid regulatory, institutional and technical framework, which includes the guidelines of the Organic Statute of the National Technical University, the National Financial Education Strategy, the Law against Usury (No. 9859), international standards such as ISO 22222:2010 and principles promoted by the International Financial Education Network.