Conflicts of Interest

Nayara Journal of STEM Education and Innovation (NJSEI) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of transparency, integrity, and ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. This policy outlines the definition, identification, disclosure, and management of conflicts of interest involving authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher. The journal adheres to the Core Practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest (COI) arises when an individual or organization has financial, personal, professional, or academic relationships that could influence—or be perceived to influence—their objectivity, integrity, or decision-making in the publication process.

Conflicts of interest may be actual, potential, or perceived, and all forms must be disclosed to ensure transparency and trust in the scholarly communication process.

2. Identification of Conflicts of Interest

All parties involved in the publication process are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest. These may include, but are not limited to:

  • Financial Interests: funding sources, grants, employment, consultancy, honoraria, stock ownership, or other financial relationships
  • Personal Relationships: family ties, close personal relationships, or personal conflicts
  • Academic Relationships: previous or ongoing collaborations, institutional affiliations, mentorship, or academic competition
  • Competing Interests: affiliations with organizations that may benefit from the publication outcomes
  • Intellectual Property: patents, copyrights, or other proprietary interests related to the research

Disclosure of conflicts does not automatically disqualify a manuscript from publication but allows for transparent and fair evaluation.

3. Disclosure Requirements

All parties must disclose conflicts of interest at the appropriate stages:

  • Authors: must declare all potential conflicts of interest at the time of manuscript submission, including funding sources and affiliations
  • Reviewers: must disclose any conflicts before accepting a review assignment
  • Editors: must disclose any conflicts when assigned a manuscript and recuse themselves if necessary

Failure to disclose relevant conflicts of interest may result in rejection, retraction, or other corrective actions in accordance with publication ethics policies.

4. Handling Conflicts of Interest

NJSEI manages conflicts of interest with transparency, fairness, and accountability throughout the publication process.

For Authors

  • Authors must disclose all relevant conflicts of interest during submission
  • If a conflict is identified after publication, authors must promptly notify the editorial board
  • Appropriate actions may include publication of a disclosure statement, correction, or retraction

For Reviewers

  • Reviewers must decline review invitations if any conflict of interest exists
  • If a conflict arises during the review process, reviewers must immediately inform the editorial team
  • Reviewers must not use any information obtained through the review process for personal or professional advantage

For Editors and Editorial Staff

  • Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist
  • Alternative editors will be assigned to ensure an unbiased review process
  • Editorial decisions must be based solely on academic merit and relevance to the journal

For Publisher

  • The publisher ensures that editorial decisions are independent and free from financial, commercial, or institutional influence
  • The publisher supports transparency and ethical oversight in all aspects of journal management

5. Transparency and Disclosure in Publication

All disclosed conflicts of interest will be clearly stated in the published articles when relevant. This may include:

  • Funding acknowledgments
  • Author disclosures
  • Statements of competing interests

To prevent bias, individuals involved in a manuscript (e.g., editors, reviewers) will not participate in the editorial process if they are also listed as authors or have a direct conflict of interest.

6. Post-Publication Issues

If undisclosed conflicts of interest are discovered after publication, the journal will:

  • Conduct an investigation in accordance with COPE guidelines
  • Publish a correction or disclosure statement if necessary
  • Retract the article in severe cases where integrity is compromised

7. Policy Review and Updates

This policy is subject to periodic review to ensure alignment with international best practices in scholarly publishing. Any updates or revisions will be communicated transparently through the journal’s official website.