1. Scope and Definition

A conflict of interest (COI) arises when professional judgment regarding a primary interest—such as the integrity, validity, or interpretation of research—may be influenced by a secondary interest, including but not limited to financial gain, personal relationships, academic competition, or intellectual bias.

This policy applies to all participants in the publication process, including editors, reviewers, and authors. All parties must disclose any relevant conflicts of interest occurring within the past three (3) years, as well as any foreseeable conflicts.

2. Principles of COI Management

IJAH adheres to the principles of transparency, accountability, and research integrity.

All disclosed conflicts will be:

• Evaluated by the editorial office
• Documented in the journal’s internal records
• Managed through appropriate actions (e.g., recusal, reassignment, disclosure)

Failure to disclose conflicts of interest constitutes a breach of publication ethics.

3. Editors

Editors are responsible for ensuring a fair, unbiased, and timely peer review process.

Editors must:

• Decline to handle any manuscript where a conflict of interest exists or is reasonably perceived
• Disclose all relevant conflicts to the editorial office immediately
• Recuse themselves from editorial handling when a conflict arises

Editors must not be involved in decisions regarding manuscripts:

• Authored by themselves
• Authored by close collaborators or colleagues
• Originating from their own institution (unless transparently managed)

In such cases, the manuscript will be reassigned to an independent editor with no relevant conflicts. If the Editor-in-Chief has a conflict of interest, full editorial responsibility will be delegated to a designated senior editor or editorial board member.

4. Reviewers

Reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the integrity of scholarly publishing.

Reviewers must:

• Decline review invitations if any conflict of interest exists
• Disclose potential conflicts before accepting the review
• Maintain strict confidentiality of all manuscript content
• Not use unpublished data for personal or professional advantage

Conflicts of interest for reviewers include, but are not limited to:

• Personal relationships with authors
• Recent collaborations or direct academic competition
• Institutional affiliation
• Financial interests related to the research

Reviewers from the same institution as the authors should generally be avoided. If their involvement is unavoidable, it must be justified, documented, and approved by the editor.

5. Authors

Authors must disclose all financial and non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of their work.

These include, but are not limited to:

• Employment or affiliations
• Funding sources and grants
• Consultancies or advisory roles
• Stock ownership or equity interests
• Patents or intellectual property interests
• Honoraria or paid expert testimony

All authors are required to submit a Conflict of Interest Statement at the time of submission.

The statement must:

• Explicitly disclose all relevant conflicts, or
• Clearly state: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”

All disclosed conflicts will be published alongside the article.

6. Undisclosed Conflicts and Corrective Actions

If a conflict of interest is identified after submission or publication, the journal will take appropriate action in accordance with ethical guidelines.

Such actions may include:

• Rejection of the manuscript
• Publication of a correction or disclosure notice
• Retraction of the article
• Notification to the authors’ institutions or funding bodies

The severity of the action will depend on the nature and impact of the undisclosed conflict.

7. Record-Keeping and Transparency

All COI disclosures and related decisions will be:

• Recorded and archived by the editorial office
• Made available for audit if required
• Handled in accordance with confidentiality and data protection standards