CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND COMPETING INTERESTS POLICY

Annals of Education is committed to maintaining transparency, fairness, and objectivity throughout the research and publication process. Authors, reviewers, editors, and Editorial Board members are expected to disclose any interests that could influence, or reasonably appear to influence, their professional judgment.

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, personal, professional, institutional, or other relationships that may represent an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest in relation to their manuscript.

Author Responsibilities

Authors are responsible for identifying and reporting relevant competing interests at the time of submission. Where no conflict exists, authors should provide an appropriate declaration stating that there are no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest before accepting a manuscript for review. Reviewers should decline an assignment when their relationship with the authors, institution, research, or subject matter could compromise their impartiality.

Editorial Responsibilities

Editors and Editorial Board members must maintain independence and objectivity in editorial decision-making. Individuals with a conflict of interest in relation to a manuscript should not participate in its evaluation or final editorial decision.

Management of Conflicts

When a conflict of interest is identified, the journal may take appropriate measures, including reassignment of the manuscript, appointment of an independent reviewer or editor, or requesting additional disclosure from the relevant parties.

Transparency

Relevant conflict-of-interest declarations may be published with the article where appropriate to promote transparency and allow readers to assess potential influences on the research.

Failure to Disclose

Failure to disclose a relevant conflict of interest may result in further investigation and appropriate editorial action, which may include correction, expression of concern, or retraction where necessary.

Commitment to Integrity

Annals of Education is committed to ensuring that conflicts of interest are handled fairly, transparently, and consistently to protect the credibility, independence, and integrity of the scholarly publication process.