Editors play a central role in ensuring the quality, integrity, and transparency of the publication process. They must act with fairness, independence, and accountability in all editorial decisions, maintaining the credibility of the scholarly record. Editorial practices must align with international ethical standards and reflect the principles set out by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Editorial Independence and Decision-Making
Editors have full authority over editorial content and decision-making. Manuscripts must be evaluated solely on their scholarly merit, originality, clarity, and relevance to the journal’s scope, without influence from the authors’ institutional affiliation, nationality, gender, or personal relationships. Editorial decisions should never be affected by commercial or political interests.
Fair and Impartial Evaluation
Editors are responsible for ensuring that each manuscript receives an objective and unbiased assessment. The double-blind peer review process is applied to all submissions to guarantee confidentiality and impartiality. Editors must ensure that reviewers are suitably qualified and free from conflicts of interest related to the manuscript.
Confidentiality
Editors must maintain the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts and related correspondence. Information about a submission should only be shared with the corresponding author, assigned reviewers, and editorial staff involved in the publication process. Editors may not disclose or use any part of the unpublished manuscript for their own research or personal advantage.
Conflict of Interest
Editors must declare any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which such conflicts exist. If an editor submits their own work to the journal, it must be processed by another member of the editorial board who has no conflict of interest with the submission.
Ethical Oversight and Misconduct Handling
Editors are responsible for safeguarding the integrity of the scholarly record and ensuring that editorial decisions are made in accordance with the journal’s ethical standards and procedures, following COPE guidance to ensure consistent, transparent, and unbiased handling of ethical concerns.
Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern
If significant errors or ethical issues are identified in published articles, editors must take prompt action to issue corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern. These actions must be clearly linked to the original publication to maintain the accuracy and reliability of the scholarly record.
Editorial Accountability
Editors must uphold the integrity of the editorial process and continuously strive to improve journal practices. They are encouraged to participate in training and discussions on publication ethics, peer review, and responsible editorial conduct. The Editorial Office maintains records of editorial decisions and ensures consistency across all published issues.
Use of AI and Editorial Tools
Editors and reviewers are prohibited from uploading unpublished manuscripts or parts thereof to public AI platforms for analysis, editing, or review. Any use of AI-assisted tools within the editorial process must occur within secure and confidential environments, preserving the integrity and privacy of submitted work.
Advertising and Marketing Policy
The journal does not publish commercial advertising, sponsored content, or direct-marketing materials. Any potential revenue sources remain entirely independent of editorial decision-making.