Conflict of Interest Policy

The International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research (IJCER) considers transparency, objectivity, and academic integrity essential foundations of credible scholarly publishing. All individuals involved in the publication process—authors, reviewers, and editors—are required to disclose any circumstances that might influence their judgment or compromise the impartial evaluation of a manuscript. IJCER adheres to the conflict of interest policies and ethical guidelines established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Role of the Journal
IJCER recognizes that managing conflicts of interest is a shared ethical responsibility among all participants in the publication process. To uphold transparency and integrity, the journal:
• Ensures that its conflict of interest policy aligns with international standards set by ICMJE and COPE;
• Requires all authors, reviewers, and editors to disclose any potential or actual conflicts of interest prior to and during the review process;
• Publishes relevant conflict of interest statements within all accepted manuscripts;
• Promotes fair and unbiased editorial practices by assigning submissions to individuals who have no conflicting interests;
• Follows COPE-recommended procedures when previously undisclosed or newly identified conflicts of interest arise.
The guiding principle of IJCER is that all editorial and peer-review decisions must be based solely on the scholarly merit and scientific value of the submission.
Expectations for Authors
Authors are expected to provide complete and transparent disclosure of any factors that may affect the objectivity or interpretation of their research. This includes:
• Financial or personal relationships that could influence the study design, data collection, analysis, or reporting;
• All sources of financial and non-financial support, including grants, institutional funds, consulting fees, sponsorships, and royalties;
• Any competing academic, institutional, or intellectual interests;
• Submission of the ICMJE Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form at the time of manuscript submission;
• Inclusion of a clear and specific conflict of interest statement in the published article;
• Confirmation that sponsorship or funding arrangements did not interfere with the authors’ access to data, independent analysis, or publication rights.
Expectations for Reviewers
IJCER implements a double-blind peer review system and expects reviewers to remain impartial and free from bias throughout the evaluation process. Reviewers are required to:
• Notify the editorial office immediately if they recognize a potential conflict of interest related to the authors, institutions, or subject matter of the manuscript;
• Withdraw from the review process if such a conflict exists;
• Refrain from evaluating manuscripts when recent collaboration, financial connections, competitive interests, or personal relationships with the authors may affect objectivity.
The journal values ethical reviewing practices and encourages reviewers to base all evaluations solely on academic quality and research rigor.
Expectations for Editors
Editors hold a central role in ensuring fair, transparent, and unbiased editorial decisions. Therefore, editors must:
• Disclose any personal, institutional, or financial conflicts related to a manuscript under consideration and recuse themselves when necessary;
• Avoid involvement in the review of manuscripts authored by themselves, close colleagues, or members of their own institution;
• Assign manuscripts submitted by editorial board members or the editor-in-chief to an independent handling editor to ensure impartiality;
• Avoid appointing reviewers who have known conflicts of interest with the manuscript;
• Document all editorial decisions transparently and in accordance with ICMJE and COPE standards, maintaining confidentiality throughout the process.
Commitment to Ethical Transparency
Through this policy, IJCER reaffirms its commitment to fostering a transparent, fair, and ethically responsible publication environment. All stakeholders share the responsibility to uphold these principles and to protect the credibility of the scientific record in educational research.

Update: 27.10.2025