Conflict of Interest Policy

Definition

A conflict of interest exists when a financial, personal, or professional relationship could — or could be perceived to — influence the design, conduct, reporting, or review of research. Conflicts of interest are not inherently problematic; transparency about their existence allows the scholarly community to evaluate published work appropriately.

Author Disclosures

All authors must disclose any financial or non-financial interests that could be perceived to influence the content of the manuscript. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Funding received for the research (grants, fellowships, institutional support)
• Paid employment, consultancy, or advisory roles related to the subject matter
• Personal relationships with individuals whose work is discussed in the manuscript
• Ownership of intellectual property related to the subject matter of the manuscript

Disclosures must be made in the cover letter at the time of submission. Upon acceptance, a conflict-of-interest statement will be published in the article, or a statement confirming that no conflicts of interest exist.

Reviewer Disclosures

Reviewers must decline invitations to review manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists. Conflicts that would typically disqualify a reviewer include:

• A current or recent collaborative or supervisory relationship with any of the authors
• A personal relationship (positive or negative) with any of the authors
• A financial interest in the outcome of the review
• Prior detailed knowledge of the manuscript (e.g. through conference presentation or prior review)

If a reviewer recognises an author’s identity during the review process, they must inform the editorial team immediately.

Editorial Disclosures

Editors must recuse themselves from any manuscript in which a conflict of interest exists. They must not be involved in editorial decisions on manuscripts authored by close colleagues, collaborators, or students, or on manuscripts in which they have a financial or personal interest. Conflicted editors will have no involvement in the handling, review, or decision-making process for the affected manuscript.

Handling Undisclosed Conflicts

If an undisclosed conflict of interest is identified after publication, IJEP will investigate the matter and take appropriate action in accordance with COPE guidelines, which may include issuing a correction notice or, in serious cases, retracting the article.