⦁ Editor in Chief:

⦁ International Advisory Board:

Journal Governance Policy

1. Introduction
This Governance Policy outlines the roles, responsibilities, and procedures for key positions within the journal, ensuring effective management, quality control, and adherence to ethical guidelines.

2. Governance Structure (Roles and Responsibilities/Duties)

2.1. Founding Editor

§ Role: The Founding Editor (FE) is responsible for laying the foundations and developing the journal, as well as securing and managing the financial resources needed to support its operations, growth, and strategic initiatives. The FE’s leadership is important in maintaining the journal’s credibility, ensuring its relevance, and guiding its long-term success within academic communities.

§ Responsibilities:

- Identify and pursue opportunities from institutions, government bodies, foundations, and private sector sponsors.
- Prepare grant applications and proposals to secure financial support for the journal’s projects and initiatives.
- Collaborate with the editorial board and publisher to align publication efforts with the journal’s goals and mission.
- Implement strategies for diversifying publication sources, including partnerships.
- Ensure proper allocation of funds for different aspects of journal operations, including editorial activities and technological improvements.
- Establish partnerships with academic institutions, research organisations, and industries for joint publication opportunities.
- Represent the journal at conferences, symposia, and networking events to raise awareness and engage with potential collaborators.
- Engage in social media and digital platforms to raise the journal’s impact and attract furthers collaborations.
- Contribute to strategic discussions regarding the expansion of the journal, including special issues or research initiatives.

2.2. Editor-in-Chief
§ Role: The Editor-in-Chief (EiC) is responsible for the overall editorial direction, strategic development, and policy implementation of Journal of Global Sustainability and Development.

§ Responsibilities:
- Provide leadership and vision for the journal developing a strategic direction, fostering excellence within the editorial team, and staying informed about innovative approaches covering a wide range of topics and also their theories and practices. In this regard, upon their appointment, the Editor-in-Chief must present a strategy (3-year period) for the journal.
- Ensure the quality and integrity of the published content, addressing cases where withdrawing a paper is necessary due to clear evidence indicating unreliable results or discussions, inappropriate conduct such as data fabrication, human errors like miscalculations or experimental mistakes, prior publication without proper attribution or justification, plagiarism, or reporting of unethical research. EiC is ethically and morally obligated to investigate alleged cases of misconduct thoroughly, potentially resulting in the rejection of articles.
- Make final decisions on manuscript acceptance or rejection. Should make sure that the assessment is fair, impartial and in due time. If the manuscript does not comply with the online published publication requirements and guidelines or it does not meet the aim and scope of the journal, the editor reserve the right to reject the manuscript without peer review. 
- Oversee the peer review process and ensure timely publication, managing manuscript reviews, enforcing publication timelines, and resolving any conflicts or issues that arise.
- Maintain and enhance the journal's reputation and impact through developing strategies to increase its impact factor and citation rates, ensuring adherence to ethical publishing standards, and regularly updating editorial policies to reflect current best practices.

- Ensure the timely indexing process for each issue released across all databases in which the Journal is currently indexed;

- Liaise with the Publishing House and represent the Journal at academic and professional events, maintaining regular communication for strategic initiatives and operational matters, promoting the journal at conferences and workshops, and engaging with authors, reviewers, and readers to build strong relationships and encourage high-quality submissions.
- May not disclose others communications and materials related to the revision process to others and may not keep or copy the manuscript.
- Has a duty to act promptly and appropriately if they suspect improper conduct or if they are accused of improper conduct.

- Must familiarise themselves with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Code of and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors. Additionally, it is recommended to utilise Elsevier resources, particularly the Publication Ethics Resource Kit (PERK), which offers online support for managing publishing ethics issues and includes other essential resources relevant to the role of an Editor.

§ Appointment and Term: Appointed by the Founding Editor. Serves an open-ended term, renewable every 3 years by mutual agreement based on the strategy provided and demonstrated academic performance. Academic performance will be evaluated through key metrics, including year-over-year increases in h-index scores as provided by Google Scholar, Scopus Author ID, ResearcherID, and SciProfiles.

2.3. Associate Editor(s)
§ Role: The Associate Editor(s) (AE) assists the EiC in managing the editorial workflow and upholding the journal's standards.

§ Responsibilities:
- Collaborate closely with the Editor in Chief (EiC) to make informed editorial decisions and uphold the journal's standards.

- Take charge of managing submissions within specific areas of expertise, ensuring they align with the journal's scope and quality criteria.

- Oversee the coordination and execution of special issues and thematic collections, from soliciting contributions to final publication.

- Facilitate and support the peer review process, ensuring rigorous evaluation and timely feedback to authors.

- Assume the responsibilities of the Editor in Chief as needed, ensuring continuity and leadership in their absence to maintain operational efficiency and editorial excellence. In this regard, upon their appointment, the AE(s) must present a Cover Letter, reflecting their own vision in accordance with their responsibilities.

§ Appointment and Term: Appointed by the EiC in consultation with the FE. Serves a 2 years term, renewable by mutual agreement based on the Cover Letter provided and demonstrated academic performance. Academic performance will be evaluated through key metrics, including year-over-year increases in h-index scores as provided by Google Scholar, Scopus Author ID, ResearcherID, and SciProfiles.

2.4. International Advisory Board
§ Role: The International Advisory Board (IAB) provides strategic advice and guidance on the journal's direction and development.

§ Responsibilities:
- Advise the Editor in Chief and editorial team on shaping editorial policies, long-term strategic planning, and maintaining high standards of academic integrity.

- Recommend and critically review potential topics for special issues, ensuring they align with the journal's scope and contribute to advancing knowledge in the field.

- Act as ambassadors for the journal within the international academic community, fostering collaborations and enhancing its visibility and reputation globally.

- Assist in identifying and attracting high-quality manuscripts and competent reviewers, contributing to the journal's growth and impact.

- Provide valuable feedback and insights on the journal's performance, impact, and areas for improvement, based on their expertise and understanding of the field.

§ Composition and Appointment: Comprised of distinguished scholars and professionals from diverse geographical and disciplinary backgrounds. Members are appointed by the Founding Editor and EiC in consultation with current IAB members based an invitation. Serves a term of five years, renewable by mutual agreement based on demonstrated academic performance. Academic performance will be assessed through key metrics, including year-over-year increases in h-index scores as provided by Google Scholar, Scopus Author ID, ResearcherID, and SciProfiles.

Duties of Authors:

§ Submitted manuscript must be the original work of the author(s) and if the authors have used the work and/or words of others they ensure that this has been appropriately cited or quoted.

§ Only unpublished manuscript should be submitted. Author should not in general publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. It is unethical to submit a manuscript to more than one journal concurrently.

§ Any conflict of interest must be clearly stated. Authors should disclose in their manuscript any financial or other substantive conflict of interest that might be construed to influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed. The JGSD_Disclosure Interest will be filled and signed in the same time with your paper submission.

§ Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be recognised. Authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work.

§ All errors discovered in the manuscript after submission must be promptly communicated to the journal editor or publisher and cooperate with the editor to retract or correct the paper.

§ If the authors decide to withdraw the paper from the revision process or they decide not to respond to the reviewers’ comments, after having received a conditional acceptance, they must inform the editors. Authors should respond to comments made in reviews in a professional manner and in due time.

§ Authors should acknowledge the contributions of those who provided support, guidance, or resources that helped in conducting the research. The template form of the paper has a brief section where authors express their appreciation and recognition to individuals, groups, or organisations that have contributed to the research but may not qualify for authorship. If individuals or organisations are being acknowledged by name, it is advisable to seek their informed consent before including their names in the publication.

§ Authorship to the manuscript should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All those who have made significant contributions should be listed as co-authors. Where there are others who have participated in certain substantive aspects of the research project, they should be acknowledged or listed as contributors. The corresponding author should ensure that all appropriate co-authors and no inappropriate co-authors are included to the manuscript, and that all co-authors have seen and approved the final version of the manuscript and have agreed to its submission for publication. It is unacceptable to mention as authors persons whose contribution to the research has been scanty or actually non-existent (the so-called “guest authorship”). It is likewise inappropriate to conceal information on the contribution of persons who have actually participated in the creation of the publication. This must be recognised in form of acknowledgements at the end of the text or by including this person as a co-author. “Ghostwriting” and “guest authorship” are manifestations of scholarly unreliability.

§ Authors should disclose their specific contributions to the research and manuscript preparation. This disclosure is included in Credit Authorship Contribution Statement section in the published paper. This section has the intention of recognising individual author contributions, reducing authorship disputes and facilitating collaboration. For more details about how to describe the role played, please see: https://credit.niso.org/ The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that the descriptions are accurate and agreed by all authors.

§ All errors discovered in the manuscript after submission must be promptly communicated to the journal editor or publisher and cooperate with the editor to retract or correct the paper.

§ If the authors decide to withdraw the paper from the revision process or they decide not to respond to the reviewers’ comments, after having received a conditional acceptance, they must inform the editors. Authors should respond to comments made in reviews in a professional manner and in due time.

§ If authors have not revised their articles within six weeks without offering any explanation, the paper will be postponed to the next issue. However, if more than six months pass without revision, the research reported may start to become outdated in terms of its evidence base. After one year in the system without revision, it becomes evident that the author is unlikely to revise the paper.

Duties of Reviewers:

§ Peer review assists the editor in making editorial decisions and through the editorial communications with the author who may also assist the author in improving the paper.

§ Reviewers are expected to respond promptly to requests to review and to submit reviews within the time agreed.

§ Any selected referee who feels unqualified to review the research report in a manuscript or knows that its prompt review will be impossible should notify the editor and excuse himself from the review process.

§ Any manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with others except as authorised by the editor.

§ Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Referees should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.

§ Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any statement or an observation, derivation, or argument that had been previously reported should be accompanied by the relevant citation. A reviewer should also call the editor's attention to any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published paper of which they have personal knowledge.

§ Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. Reviewers should not consider manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers. A Non-Conflict of Interest Statement is included in the JCAPP_Reviewer Form in which they affirm that don't have any financial, professional, or personal affiliations or relationships with any individual, organisation, or entity that could potentially influence or bias their judgment or review of the manuscript.

§ Commitment to providing an unbiased and objective evaluation of the manuscript based solely on its scientific merits, originality, validity, and relevance to the field,  maintaining strict confidentiality and handling all materials and information provided for the review process with the utmost professionalism and integrity.

3. Editorial Process

- Manuscripts are submitted through the journal’s online submission system, which ensures efficiency and transparency. Authors' work are anonymously considerate for reviewing to maintain a double-blind process. This system helps in maintaining impartiality and fairness in the review process.

- Upon submission, the Managing Editor oversees the assignment of manuscripts to reviewers. Reviewers are selected based on their expertise and familiarity with the subject matter, drawn from a registered pool within the RITHA Editorial & Publishing System. The Editor-in-Chief (EiC) and Associate Editor play key roles in identifying suitable reviewers who can provide insightful evaluations of the manuscript's quality, originality, methodology, and relevance to the journal's scope.
- Following the peer review process, the EiC consolidates feedback from reviewers and the AE(s) (when is the case) to make a final decision on the manuscript. This decision may include acceptance, revision with major or minor changes, or rejection. The aim is to ensure that decisions are made promptly and fairly, considering the scholarly merit and potential impact of the submission.
- Once accepted, manuscripts are prepared for publication by AE(s) (when is the case) under the overseeing of the EiC. This involves typesetting, formatting, and ensuring adherence to the journal's style guidelines. The editorial team works diligently to maintain the quality and integrity of the published content while aiming for timely release of journal issues. The EiC oversees the final approval process before publication to guarantee accuracy and consistency across all published articles.

4. Conflict of Interest
All editors and board members must disclose any potential conflicts of interest. Decisions on manuscripts in which an editor has a conflict of interest will be handled by Managing Board of Publisher to ensure impartiality.

5. Amendments
This Governance Policy may be amended by the EiC in consultation with the Founding Editor, Managing Board of Publishing House, and IAB as needed to reflect the evolving needs of the journal.

Open Access Policy

§ The Journal of Global Sustainability and Development is committed to the principles of open access, ensuring that all published research articles and other content are freely available to the global community without any restrictions.

§ The journal operates under a gold open access model, meaning that all articles published are immediately and freely accessible online to readers worldwide, without the need for a subscription or payment.

§ Authors retain the copyright of their work published in the journal and grant it the right to publish and disseminate their work under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0. This allows others to freely distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the work, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited.

§ The Journal of Global Sustainability and Development is dedicated to the long-term preservation and accessibility of published content. All articles are archived in digital repositories and preservation archives to ensure their continued availability and accessibility in the future.

§ To maximise the discoverability and accessibility of published content, the journal utilizes major platforms and indexing services. Articles are indexed in key databases and search engines, ensuring that they are easily discoverable by researchers, practitioners, and the general public.

§ Authors are encouraged to share and disseminate their published articles freely, provided they properly cite the Journal of Global Sustainability and Development as the original source. Authors retain the right to reuse and distribute their work in accordance with the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.

§ The journal complies with all relevant open access policies and mandates, including those established by funding agencies, institutions, and governmental bodies. Authors are responsible for ensuring compliance with any applicable open access requirements associated with their research funding or institutional affiliations.

§ The Journal of Global Sustainability and Development actively promotes the benefits of open access publishing and advocates for the adoption of open access policies by scholarly publishers, institutions, and funding agencies. The journal encourages collaboration and knowledge sharing within the global research community to advance the principles of open access and open science.

Open Access Explained

Publishing open access (OA) offers significantly greater reach and readership for authors' work: 1.6 times more citations than non-OA articles across all subjects, OA articles are downloaded four times more frequently, enhancing visibility and accessibility,  OA articles attract 2.5 times more Altmetric attention, including 1.9 times more news mentions and 1.2 times more policy mentions. These metrics demonstrate that publishing open access not only increases the dissemination of research but also amplifies its influence and engagement within and beyond the scholarly community.

Open Access Explained

Preprints Policy

A preprint is a paper that is made available publicly via a preprint server prior to (or simultaneous with) submission to a journal. Preprint servers, i.e., servers that allow for the posting of papers prior to submission for publication, are becoming more common across a range of disciplines.

Journal of Global Sustainability and Development allows for the submission of manuscripts which have already been made available on such a server. Allowing a preprint version as submission does not, of course, guarantee that an article will accepted for publication without reviewing; it simply reflects a belief that availability on a preprint server should not be a disqualifying for submission.

Authors are requested to update any pre-publication versions with a link to the final published article. Authors may also post the final published version of the article immediately after publication.

If a preprint is assigned a DOI, Publishing House will assign a new DOI to the accepted article using https://doi.org/10.57017/jgsd and can optionally link to the preprint. Note that the preprint publisher must link to the published article, per CrossRef: “[Posted content] consists of preprints, eprints, working papers, reports, dissertations, and many other types of content that has been posted but not formally published… Once a journal article (or book, conference paper, etc.) has been published from the posted content and a DOI has been assigned, the posted content publisher will update their metadata to associate the posted content with the DOI of the accepted manuscript (AM) or version of record (VOR)”. More details are available here.

Copyright and Licensing Policy

All articles published in Journal of Global Sustainability and Development are open access licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 which permits unrestricted, use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, or format for any purpose, even commercially provided the work is properly cited. The CC BY licence is the most open licence available and considered the industry 'gold standard' for open access; it is also preferred by many funders. A "License Agreement" will be complete by the author(s) if the submitted manuscript is accepted for publication allowing them to retain the copyright to their work. 

Reproducing Published Material from other Publishers

Authors must obtain permission to reproduce any published material (figures, schemes, tables, or text extracts) for which they do not hold the copyright. Permission should be sought from the copyright holder, typically the publisher.

- When permission is required:

      - For authors' own works published by other publishers where copyright was not retained;

      - For substantial extracts from others' works;

     - For using unaltered or slightly modified tables, graphs, charts, schemes, artworks, or photographs not owned by the author.

- When permission is not required:

      - Reconstruction of the author's own table with data published elsewhere, with proper citation;

      - Reasonably short quotes (considered fair use);

      - Graphs, charts, schemes, and artworks completely redrawn by the authors and significantly changed beyond recognition.

- Obtaining Permission:

      - Authors should start obtaining permissions early to avoid publication delays;

      - If unsure about copyright, it's recommended to apply for permission;

      - Acknowledgement of permission should follow a standard style if instructed by the copyright holder.

These guidelines aim to ensure compliance with copyright laws and ethical standards in academic publishing. Authors are responsible for obtaining necessary permissions to reproduce copyrighted material and should adhere to the stated policies to prevent any delays or legal issues in the publication process.

From submission to peer review, production, copyediting, and until final publication, Editor in Chief ensures an efficient publishing process in collaboration with the members of Managing Board and in accordance with Editorial Policies, Peer-Reviewing Policies and Ethical Standards of Publishing House.

Submitting a manuscript

Manuscripts must be submitted using this e-mail address: journals@ritha.eu or using the form SUBMIT Manuscript from journal's webpage. Note that the submission has to follow only one way in order to avoid a duplicate submission. 

The submission's schedule is announced by the Editor in Chief in CALL for Papers. 

Before submitting a manuscript, authors are invited to ensure that they adhere to the guidelines outlined below:

• - the corresponding author is responsible for the submission on behalf of all authors; authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. All those who have made significant contributions should be listed as co‐authors. Where there are others who have participated in certain substantive aspects of the research, they should be named in the “Acknowledgements” section. 
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• - authors should not publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Parallel submission of the same manuscript to more than one journal constitutes unethical publishing behaviour and is unacceptable.
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• - appropriate acknowledgement of the work of others must be given at all times. Authors should also cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work.
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• - all authors should disclose in their manuscript any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that might be construed to influence the results or their interpretation in the manuscript. All sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed.
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• - It is recommended that research paper be written in the third person to maintain a formal and objective tone. The use of the third person ("the author," "the researchers," "the study showed") creates a professional distance between the author and the subject, reinforcing the impartiality of the research. However, in certain cases, especially in methodology and discussion sections, it is also appropriate to use the first-person plural ("we conducted an experiment") to clearly describe the actions taken by the research team.
  Examples:
  • - Third Person: "A study was conducted to investigate the influence of variable X on variable Y."
  • - First-Person Plural: "We conducted a study to investigate the influence of variable X on variable Y."
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• - the manuscript will be examined to detect inappropriate use of previously published material without attribution. Crossref Similarity Check (iThenticate v2) and Safe Assign are used to screen submitted manuscript against previously published papers and other relevant sources. Any submission exceeding a 10% similarity score is promptly rejected. Authors are also encouraged to use any anti-plagiarism software to screen their manuscript prior to submission; if they have used the work and/or words of others, they should ensure that this has been appropriately cited or quoted. Despite our best efforts, some instances of plagiarism may escape detection. Authors who find their work plagiarised may report plagiarism to journals@ritha.eu, preferably by submitting both the original article and the allegedly plagiarising one with plagiarised parts highlighted or underlined. The Editorial Board will act promptly on such reports, asking the author for clarifications within two weeks. If the author does not respond within this deadline or if the clarifications are unsatisfactory, the article will be immediately withdrawn from publication and the author(s) will be banned from submitting future publications.
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• - the Conclusion section explores the practical and theoretical implications of the research findings. It discusses how the results may inform future research directions, influence policy decisions, or contribute to advancements in practice. Alongside these insights, the conclusion section acknowledges any limitations or constraints encountered during the research process. This critical reflection demonstrates an awareness of the study's scope and potential areas for improvement or further investigation. Finally,  summarise the overall implications of the study and suggesting avenues for future research.
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• - the References are to be listed in the alphabetically order. Follow the style APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition. See also, JGSD_Template Format, for example.
• 
  
• Introduction to Citation Styles: APA 7th ed.
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• Introduction to Citation Styles: APA 7th ed.

• - disclosure of interests is important for research publications to ensure transparency, maintain the integrity of the research process, and avoid any potential conflicts of interest that could bias the research outcomes. Authors are required to provide a clear and comprehensive disclosure of their financial and non-financial interests that could be perceived as influencing the research or its interpretation by filling and signed JGSD_Disclosure Interests. These interests may be personal, professional, or institutional in nature.
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• - authors should disclose in their statement the use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process. A statement will appear in JGSD_Disclosure Interests. Statement: During the preparation of this work the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication. This declaration does not apply to the use of basic tools for checking grammar, spelling, references etc. If there is nothing to disclose, there is no need to add a statement.
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• - all figures and tables included in the content have to be numbered, have a suggestive title and indicate the source; if these are compiled by the authors, it has to be specified. 
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• - manuscript should be written in clear, concise English (UK) and should contain all essential data in order to make the presentation clear. Language checks help maintain the quality and readability of your article, making it accessible to a broader audience. In this regard, the language should be clear and concise, avoiding excessive jargon or overly complex sentences; verify that the manuscript has proper grammar, correct sentence structures, and consistent verb tenses; look for subject-verb agreement and ensure that the sentences are clear and well-constructed; eliminate unnecessary wordiness and choose appropriate words to convey ideas succinctly; avoid using ambiguous terms or acronyms without proper explanations; check that the sentences flow logically from one to another, and the paragraphs are well-organised and coherent. During the editorial process, publisher reserves the right to improve the grammar and style of manuscript.

Each submitted manuscript must has a certain format in order to be published. Please follow the JGSD_Template Format. 

Journal Peer Review Policy in accordance with Peer-Reviewing Policies of Publisher.

Journal of Research, Innovation and Technologies upholds a rigorous double-blind peer review model, a process designed to ensure the quality and impact of published papers align with the journal's aims and scope. Typically, two academic experts evaluate each submission, with additional or supplementary reviews conducted by the Editor in Chief and/or Co-Editors to maintain academic rigour and research relevance.
The reviewers and individuals overseeing the peer review process are expected to adhere to our Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement, including the references/documents within it. Furthermore, we strongly encourage reviewers to familiarise themselves and uphold the ethical guidelines for peer reviewers set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). This commitment extends to recognising any potential misconduct or ethical concerns and promptly reporting them to the editorial office.
Manuscripts undergo comprehensive assessment based on several key criteria: (i) Alignment with the journal's aims and scope; (ii) Adherence to widely accepted academic standards in terms of originality, significance, and rigour, in addition to the high-quality research and analytical criteria stipulated in the editorial policies; (iii) Relevance of the research and its potential to contribute to the aims & scope of the Journal.

Please Note：

- Manuscripts with contents outside the scope will not be considered for review.
- Manuscripts usually will be refereed by 2 experts as suggested by the editorial board.
- Editor(s) will have the option of seeking additional reviews when needed. Authors will be informed when Editor(s) decide further review is required.
- All publication decisions are made by the journal’s Editors-in-Chief on the basis of the referees’ reports. Authors of papers that are not accepted are notified promptly.
- All submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents.

- Authors are strongly encouraged to refer to the Review Form to gain insight into the criteria that reviewers will consider when evaluating their paper. Familiarising themselves with the specific aspects highlighted in the form can help them addresses to all relevant points and meets the expectations of the reviewers. 

- Upon acceptance, the paper proceeds to the production stage. In the event of rejection or if revisions are required, the editor provides constructive feedback from the reviewers to aid the author in improving the article. Reviewers are notified via email regarding the final decision on their review. If revisions are requested, reviewers anticipate receiving a revised version, unless they have opted out of further participation. However, where only minor changes were requested this follow-up review might be handle by the editor.
- Editors, reviewers and editorial stuff involved in the review process should disclose conflicts of interest resulting from direct competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors, and remove oneself from cases in which such conflicts preclude an objective evaluation.

Review process follows these steps: 

• - 1st: The Editor in Chief makes an initial screening of the manuscript submitted in order to determine if it is suitable with the aims and scope of the Journal or not.
• - 2nd: Submission received is checked with the anti-plagiarism software before it undergoes a blind peer reviewing process. If the report is suspicious or exceeding a 10% similarity score, the manuscript will be rejected and the author(s) informed, else submission is qualified to follow the next stage.
• - 3rd: The manuscript is blind peer reviewed by the members of Editorial Advisory Board, in accordance with the area of research specified by the author in its submission. Each reviewer should fulfil the Review Form and give a score. Please see open positions listed in Call for Members in Editorial Advisory Board. For detailed guidelines about reviewing processes see COPE's Ethical guidelines for reviewers. 
• - 4th: The final decision is made by the Editor in Chief based on the Review Form with the recommendations and comments received from the reviewers. The Editor in Chief makes the Final Report and decides whether the manuscript should be accepted as it is, revised (with minor or major corrections) or rejected. Any changes which affecting the substance of the text will, of course, be made only in agreement with the author(s). 

The publishing schedule can vary depending on the complexity of the research, the number of revisions required, and the responsiveness of authors and reviewers. The first screening of the Editor in Chief takes no more 10 days including plagiarism checking, the peer-reviewed between 30 - 45 days. Once the manuscript is accepted, it goes through the journal's production process, where it is formatted, proofread, and prepared for publication. This step may take up to 30 days. Authors are encouraged to be patient and to communicate with the journal's editorial team if they have questions or concerns about the timeline.

Copy editing, production and indexation 

In this stage of publication process, the manuscripts are checked for the final grammar and formatting review and the result is the pre-final form of the manuscript which will be return to author(s) for final revisions and approval; author of accepted manuscript fulfils and signs the Author(s) Licensing Form.

Once the author approved the pre-final form and signed the JGSD_Author(s) Licensing Form, the article will be published on-line; an email with message of publication will be send by our own publishing system to inform the author(s).

Indexation is the last stage of publication process which refers to the preparation of metadata according to the specifications indicated by the scientific databases in order to offer better visibility and dissemination of publication in academic environments.

Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement for the Journal of Global Sustainability and Development

The editors of Journal of Global Sustainability and Development are responsible for ensuring the integrity and quality of the journal's content. They strive to maintain editorial independence and impartiality in all decision-making processes. Editors evaluate submitted manuscripts based on their academic merit, relevance, and adherence to ethical standards. They ensure fair and unbiased peer review processes and make publication decisions based solely on the manuscript's quality and suitability for the journal.

Authors must ensure that their submissions represent original work and accurately acknowledge the contributions of all individuals involved in the research. All listed authors must have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study.
Authors should appropriately cite and reference the work of others and refrain from engaging in plagiarism or self-plagiarism.

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may influence their objectivity or integrity in the publication process. Conflicts of interest may include financial relationships, personal relationships, or institutional affiliations that could be perceived as biasing the research or its interpretation.

Journal employs a rigorous peer review process to ensure the quality and validity of published research. Reviewers evaluate manuscripts objectively and provide constructive feedback to authors to improve the quality of their work. Reviewers must maintain confidentiality and refrain from disclosing any information about the manuscript or its review process to unauthorised individuals.

Authors are expected to conduct research ethically and adhere to recognised standards of research integrity. Research involving human subjects or animals must comply with relevant ethical guidelines and obtain appropriate approvals from institutional review boards or ethics committees. Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is strictly prohibited and constitutes unethical behaviour.

Journal of Global Sustainability and Development is committed to correcting errors and addressing instances of misconduct promptly and transparently. Authors are encouraged to notify the editors if they discover any errors or inaccuracies in their published work, and appropriate corrections or retractions will be issued as necessary.

Journal of Global Sustainability and Development adheres to established guidelines and best practices for academic publishing, including those outlined by the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct and Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Furthermore, the ethical framework of the Journal of Global Sustainability and Development integrates the best practices outlined in The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity. Endorsed by the European Science Foundation (ESF) and All European Academies (ALLEA), this code serves as a benchmark for national research integrity standards across the European Union, following a rigorous development process.

Journal welcomes feedback and complaints from authors, reviewers, and readers regarding any aspect of the publication process. Complaints will be investigated thoroughly and resolved promptly to uphold the integrity and reputation of the journal.