Science, Education and Innovations in the Context of Modern Problems

Science, Education and Innovations in the Context of Modern Problems (SEI) is firmly committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics, academic integrity, and transparency throughout all stages of the editorial and publishing process.

The journal adheres to internationally recognized ethical principles and best practices, including those established by the Committee on Publication Ethics, and aligns its policies with global standards for responsible research and scholarly communication.

All participants in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher—are expected to comply with these principles and act with honesty, accountability, fairness, and professional responsibility.

1. Editorial Responsibilities and Independence

Editors bear primary responsibility for ensuring the quality, integrity, and scholarly value of all content published in the journal.

Editorial decisions are made independently and are based exclusively on:

• Academic merit, originality, and contribution to the field
• Relevance to the journal’s aims and scope
• Methodological rigor and scientific validity
• Compliance with ethical and research standards

Editors evaluate manuscripts fairly and impartially, without discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, nationality, institutional affiliation, religious beliefs, or political orientation.

Editors must:

• Maintain strict confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts
• Ensure a transparent and unbiased double-blind peer review process
• Avoid misuse of unpublished materials
• Disclose and appropriately manage conflicts of interest

Editorial Independence

The editorial process is conducted with full independence and integrity.

Editorial decisions are based solely on academic merit and are not influenced by the publisher, sponsoring institutions, or any external entities. The publisher operates strictly as a legal and administrative body and does not interfere with editorial decisions, peer review outcomes, or acceptance or rejection of manuscripts.

2. Reviewer Responsibilities

Peer reviewers play a central role in maintaining the academic quality and credibility of the journal.

Reviewers are expected to:

• Treat manuscripts as confidential
• Provide objective, constructive, and evidence-based evaluations
• Assess submissions solely on academic merit
• Declare conflicts of interest and decline review where necessary

Reviewers must not use unpublished information for personal or professional advantage and should report any ethical concerns to the editors.

3. Author Responsibilities and Authorship Criteria

Authors are responsible for ensuring the integrity, originality, and accuracy of their research.

Authors must ensure that:

• Manuscripts are original and not under consideration elsewhere
• All sources are properly cited
• Data are accurate and not fabricated or falsified
• Authorship reflects significant scholarly contributions

All authors must approve the final version and agree to submission. Ghost, guest, or honorary authorship is strictly prohibited.

Authors must disclose all funding sources and conflicts of interest.

4. Research Ethics

Research involving human participants or animals must comply with internationally accepted ethical standards.

Authors must confirm that:

• Ethical approval has been obtained
• Informed consent has been secured
• Privacy and confidentiality are protected

Where applicable, research must comply with internationally recognized frameworks such as the Declaration of Helsinki.

5. Confidentiality and Data Protection

All submissions are treated as confidential. Personal data are used exclusively for editorial purposes and handled in accordance with applicable data protection regulations.

6. Conflicts of Interest

All participants must disclose any conflicts of interest that may influence objectivity.

Failure to disclose conflicts may result in rejection, correction, or retraction.

1. Overview

Science, Education and Innovations in the Context of Modern Problems (SEI) is committed to ensuring the integrity, transparency, and objectivity of the scholarly publication process. A conflict of interest (COI) arises when professional judgment concerning a primary interest (such as the validity of research, editorial decisions, or peer review objectivity) may be influenced by a secondary interest, including financial, personal, academic, or institutional relationships.

All participants in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, and editors—are required to disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest.

2. Conflict of Interest for Authors

Authors must disclose any relationships or activities that could influence, or be perceived to influence, the results or interpretation of their manuscript.

2.1 Types of Conflicts

Conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:

• Financial support (grants, funding, sponsorships)
• Employment or institutional affiliations
• Consultancy roles or advisory positions
• Ownership of stocks or shares
• Patent applications or intellectual property interests
• Personal relationships or academic competition

2.2 Disclosure Requirements

• Authors must include a Conflict of Interest Statement within the manuscript.
• If no conflict exists, authors must explicitly state:

“The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.”

2.3 Transparency and Accountability

Failure to disclose relevant conflicts may result in:

• Rejection of the manuscript
• Retraction of a published article
• Notification to affiliated institutions

3. Conflict of Interest for Reviewers

Reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the integrity of the peer-review process and must remain objective and impartial.

3.1 Situations Requiring Disclosure or Recusal

Reviewers must decline to review a manuscript if they:

• Have a personal or professional relationship with the authors
• Are affiliated with the same institution
• Are involved in competing research
• Have financial or academic interests related to the manuscript

3.2 Ethical Responsibilities

• Reviewers must inform the editorial office immediately upon identifying a conflict
• Confidentiality must be maintained at all times
• Manuscripts must not be used for personal advantage

4. Conflict of Interest for Editors

Editors are responsible for making unbiased editorial decisions based solely on the scientific merit of submissions.

4.1 Editorial Independence

Editors must not be influenced by:

• Financial interests
• Institutional affiliations
• Personal relationships
• Political or ideological considerations

4.2 Handling Conflicts

If an editor has a conflict of interest regarding a manuscript:

• The manuscript must be reassigned to an independent editor
• The conflicted editor must not participate in the decision-making process

The journal follows best practices aligned with the Committee on Publication Ethics in handling conflicts of interest.

5.1 Actions Taken by the Journal

When a conflict is identified, the journal may:

• Request additional disclosures
• Assign alternative reviewers or editors
• Publish disclosed conflicts alongside the article
• Reject or retract the manuscript if necessary

6. Post-Publication Disclosure

If a conflict of interest is discovered after publication:

• A correction, expression of concern, or retraction may be issued
• The journal will investigate the matter in accordance with ethical standards

Final Statement

SEI maintains a zero-tolerance approach toward undisclosed conflicts of interest. Transparency in disclosure is essential to preserving trust in the scholarly communication process and ensuring the credibility of published research.

7. Misconduct, Plagiarism, and Ethical Violations

The journal has a zero-tolerance policy toward academic misconduct, including:

• Plagiarism
• Data fabrication or falsification
• Duplicate publication
• Citation manipulation
• Misrepresentation of authorship

All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software (e.g., iThenticate).

All allegations are investigated in accordance with COPE guidelines.

8. Withdrawal Policy

Authors may request withdrawal of a manuscript only under justified circumstances, including:

• Significant errors affecting the validity of results
• Ethical concerns (e.g., authorship disputes)
• Submission errors

Withdrawal requires written request, co-author agreement, and editorial approval.

Manuscripts cannot be withdrawn after acceptance except in exceptional ethical cases.

9. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

The journal ensures the integrity of the scholarly record by issuing:

• Corrections
• Retractions
• Expressions of concern

All actions are implemented transparently and in accordance with international standards.

10. Transparency and Data Availability

The journal promotes transparency and reproducibility.

Authors are encouraged to provide data availability statements and ensure that research methods are clearly described.

11. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Authors must disclose the use of AI tools.

AI tools must not be listed as authors and may only be used for technical or language assistance.

Authors remain fully responsible for the content.

12. Non-Discrimination and Fair Treatment

The journal ensures a fair and unbiased editorial process.

No discrimination is permitted based on gender, ethnicity, nationality, institutional affiliation, religion, political views, age, or disability.

13. Reporting Standards and Guidelines

Authors are expected to follow recognized reporting standards appropriate to their field.

These may include:

• PRISMA
• CONSORT
• CARE
• ARRIVE
• SAGER
• SAMPL

Authors are encouraged to consult the EQUATOR Network:
👉 https://www.equator-network.org

14. Copyright and Intellectual Property

Authors retain copyright while granting the journal the right of first publication.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their work does not infringe on third-party rights.

15. Communication with the Editorial Office

The journal maintains professional and transparent communication with authors.

Authors are expected to communicate respectfully, allow reasonable processing time, and avoid excessive inquiries.

16. Publisher Responsibilities

The publisher supports ethical publishing, ensures editorial independence, and takes action in cases of misconduct.