Conflict of Interest Policy

The Research in Education and Rehabilitation (RER) journal is committed to ensuring the integrity, transparency, and objectivity of the peer review and publication process. All authors, editors, and reviewers are required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that could influence their work or the decision-making process.

Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest exists when professional judgment concerning a primary interest (such as the validity of research) may be influenced by a secondary interest (such as financial gain, personal relationships, or institutional affiliations). Conflicts may be financial, non-financial, professional, or personal, and can be actual, perceived, or potential.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must disclose any conflicts of interest that might be perceived to influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript. Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Employment or consultancy relationships;

  • Ownership of stock or shares in companies related to the work;

  • Paid expert testimony;

  • Patent applications or registrations;

  • Personal or professional relationships with individuals involved in the manuscript’s review or editorial process.

If no conflict exists, authors should clearly state:

“The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.”

All disclosures will be included in the final published article.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to disclose any conflicts of interest that might affect their objectivity or impartiality and to recuse themselves from reviewing manuscripts where such conflicts exist. This includes:

  • Personal relationships with any of the authors;

  • Institutional connections;

  • Financial interests related to the manuscript content.

Responsibilities of Editors

Editors and editorial staff must recuse themselves from decisions when they have a conflict of interest regarding a submitted manuscript (e.g., if they are co-authors, collaborators, or affiliated with the same institution). Editorial decisions must always be based on the quality and relevance of the manuscript, independent of any external interest.

Undisclosed Conflicts

Failure to disclose relevant conflicts of interest may lead to corrective actions, including retraction of the article. The journal reserves the right to publish corrections or expressions of concern if necessary.

This policy aligns with the ethical standards established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).