IRU Journal Policies
Comprehensive policies governing governance, open access, peer review, publication ethics, and indexing strategy
Governance & Leadership Policy
This page describes the leadership structure, position titles and core responsibilities for IRU Journal. It is designed to be transparent for authors, reviewers, editors, institutions and partners.
Core Principles
- Separation of roles: academic decisions remain independent from finances.
- Clear accountability: each position has defined responsibilities and reporting lines.
- Ethical publishing: decisions follow our peer-review, ethics and misconduct policies.
- Scalable structure: can start lean and grow as submissions and partnerships expand.
Leadership Structure
Leadership at IRU Journal is organised into four layers: publisher/owner, academic editorial leadership, quality & methods, and operational & outreach support.
Publisher / IRU Journal Steering Committee
Level: Top-level governance
Reports to: IRU Business Group / IRU Academic leadership
Defines mission and strategy, approves budgets and appointments, and safeguards independence of editorial decisions.
Responsibilities:
- Define and periodically review the overall mission, vision and scope of IRU Journal.
- Approve strategic decisions such as launch of new sections, partnerships and indexing plans.
- Approve high-level budget, APC policies, membership policies and major financial decisions.
- Ensure legal, regulatory and data protection compliance for the journal and its platforms.
- Appoint and, if necessary, replace the Editor-in-Chief in line with documented procedures.
Editor-in-Chief (EIC)
Level: Head of journal
Reports to: Publisher / Steering Committee
Has ultimate academic responsibility for the journal, its content, and editorial policies.
Responsibilities:
- Lead the academic direction, quality and integrity of IRU Journal.
- Oversee and approve editorial policies, peer review standards and ethics guidelines.
- Make final decisions on manuscripts (accept, revise, reject), usually based on Section Editor recommendations.
- Represent IRU Journal to institutions, professional bodies, regulators, indexers and partners.
- Chair editorial team and editorial board meetings, ensuring follow-up on agreed actions.
Deputy / Co-Editor-in-Chief
Level: Senior editorial
Reports to: Editor-in-Chief
Supports the EIC in managing editorial workload and strategic initiatives, and acts as EIC when needed.
Section Editors / Associate Editors
Level: Discipline leadership
Reports to: Editor-in-Chief
Lead specific sectors or themes (e.g. Pharmacy Practice, Digital Health) and manage manuscripts in those areas.
Managing Editor / Journal Manager
Level: Day-to-day management
Reports to: Editor-in-Chief (operationally) and Publisher (administratively)
Coordinates the manuscript workflow, communication and day-to-day journal operations.
Ethics & Integrity Editor / Publication Ethics Officer
Level: Cross-cutting quality role
Reports to: Editor-in-Chief
Leads on publication ethics, research integrity and management of suspected misconduct.
Minimum Viable Governance
IRU Journal can launch with a lean leadership team and expand as submissions grow. Launch phase (1–2 years): ~9–15 key roles.
Core positions:
- Publisher / Steering Committee
- Editor-in-Chief (overall academic lead)
- 1 Deputy or Senior Associate Editor
- 3–5 Section Editors covering key IRU sectors
- Managing Editor / Journal Manager
- Editorial Assistant
- Ethics & Integrity lead (can be senior editor)
- Statistical / Methods advisor (consultant or part-time)
- Initial Editorial Board and, later, an International Advisory Board
Open Access Policy & Licence
IRU Journal is committed to making high-quality research freely available to readers worldwide, without subscription barriers. This page explains how our open access model works, which licence we use, and what rights authors and readers have.
At a Glance
- Readers: No subscription or pay-per-view fees.
- Authors: Retain copyright and grant IRU Journal a licence to publish.
- Reuse: Permitted under a Creative Commons licence, with attribution.
Open Access Model
Immediate Online Access
All accepted articles are made freely available online on publication. There is no embargo period for the final published version.
- Full text available without login or subscription.
- Readers may download and read articles at no charge.
- Persistent URLs and identifiers support long-term access.
Author-Retained Copyright
Authors retain copyright in their work and grant IRU Journal a licence to publish and distribute the article under the selected Creative Commons licence.
- Authors may reuse their content in future works.
- IRU Journal may host and disseminate the article.
- Third parties may reuse the work under licence terms.
Version of Record
The version made open access on the IRU Journal website is the final, typeset version of record, including any post-acceptance corrections.
- Stable citation details and DOI (where available).
- Clear indication of the publication date and issue.
- Earlier manuscript versions may also be shared by authors.
Licence Terms for Reuse
IRU Journal's default policy is to publish research articles under an open licence that permits broad reuse with proper attribution (for example, Creative Commons Attribution – CC BY).
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY)
Allows any user to share and adapt the work for any purpose, including commercial use, provided that appropriate credit is given, a link to the licence is provided, and changes are indicated.
You may:
- Copy, distribute and transmit the work
- Adapt and build upon it
- Use it commercially
You must:
- Give appropriate credit
- Provide a link to the licence
- Indicate if changes were made
You may not: imply endorsement by the authors, IRU Journal or IRU Business Group without explicit permission.
Author Rights, Reuse & Self-Archiving
Rights Retained by Authors
In line with most open access models, authors keep key rights over their work. Subject to the chosen licence, authors may:
- Reuse figures, tables and parts of the text in future publications.
- Include the article in a thesis or dissertation.
- Share the article with students and colleagues for teaching and training.
- Deposit the article in institutional or subject repositories.
Self-Archiving & Repositories
IRU Journal supports responsible self-archiving. Unless stated otherwise in the article's licence notice, authors may:
- Post preprints (original submissions) on preprint servers or personal websites.
- Deposit accepted manuscripts in institutional or funder repositories.
- Deposit the final published version of record where the licence permits.
Publication Fees & Waivers (Summary)
Article Processing Charges (APCs)
IRU Journal may apply an Article Processing Charge (APC) to cover the cost of editorial management, peer review, production and long-term hosting.
The exact APC amount and applicable currency are detailed on the Publication Fees & Submission Options page.
No submission fees. Charges (if any) apply only after acceptance.Waivers & Discounts
IRU Journal seeks to ensure that open access charges do not prevent high-quality research from being published. In line with this:
- Full or partial waivers may be considered for authors without funding.
- Priority may be given to early-career researchers and authors from low- and middle-income settings.
- Institutional or partner agreements may cover APCs for affiliated authors.
Funder and institutional policies: Many research funders and institutions require that articles be made open access under specific licence terms and within specified timelines. Authors are responsible for checking these requirements and notifying IRU Journal at submission if a particular licence (for example, CC BY) is mandatory.
Peer Review Policy
IRU Journal uses a structured peer review process to ensure that all published work is robust, ethical and relevant. This page summarises our review model, the steps from submission to decision, and the responsibilities of everyone involved.
Core Principles
- Independence: Editorial decisions are made free from commercial or institutional pressure.
- Confidentiality: Manuscripts and reviews are handled with strict confidentiality.
- Fairness: All submissions are judged on scholarly merit and relevance, not author identity.
We aim to provide constructive feedback that helps authors strengthen their work, whether or not the paper is accepted.
Peer Review Model
IRU Journal uses a primary double-blind model with flexibility for special cases.
Double-Blind Peer Review
Neither authors nor reviewers know each other's identities during the review process. This is the default model for most sections of IRU Journal.
Single-Blind Peer Review
Reviewers know the identity of authors, but authors do not know the identity of reviewers. This may be used for certain invited or practice-oriented pieces.
Open or Signed Review
In some special issues or by mutual agreement, reviewers may choose to sign their reviews or participate in a more open review dialogue.
Peer Review Process – From Submission to Decision
Initial Submission & Checks
After submission, the editorial office checks the manuscript for completeness, scope fit, basic formatting, and adherence to ethical requirements (e.g. ethics approvals, consent, plagiarism checks).
Approximate time: 5–10 working days. Outcomes: send out for editorial evaluation, request technical corrections, or desk rejection.
Editor Assignment & Editorial Evaluation
A suitable editor (section editor or associate editor) is assigned to the manuscript. They perform an initial academic assessment to decide if the paper should proceed to external review.
Approximate time: 1–2 weeks. Outcomes: desk rejection, request for clarifications, or move forward to external review.
External Peer Review
The handling editor invites independent reviewers with relevant expertise. Reviewers evaluate the manuscript and provide structured comments and recommendations.
Approximate time: 3–5 weeks after reviewers accept invitations. Outcomes: revise (minor/major), reject, or accept in principle.
Editorial Decision & Revisions
The editor considers the reviewers' comments and recommendations and makes a decision. If revisions are invited, authors submit a revised manuscript and a response to reviewers.
Approximate time: 2–4 weeks for authors to revise (may vary). Additional review cycles may be required for major revisions.
Final Acceptance & Production
Once the manuscript meets the journal's standards, the editor issues a final acceptance decision. The paper then proceeds to copyediting, typesetting and publication.
Approximate time: varies by production schedule. Authors receive proofs for final checks before online publication.
Review Criteria & Evaluation Focus
Reviewers are asked to assess:
- Originality and contribution: Does the work add something new or useful?
- Methodological soundness: Is the design, analysis and interpretation appropriate?
- Clarity and organisation: Is the paper clearly written, logically structured, and properly referenced?
- Ethical compliance: Were ethical standards followed (including approvals and consent where needed)?
- Relevance to IRU Journal: Does the paper fit the journal's scope and readership?
Timelines & Number of Reviewers
For standard articles, IRU Journal aims to obtain at least two independent reviews. In some cases, a third review may be requested to resolve conflicting recommendations.
- Reviewer invitation & confirmation: usually within 1–2 weeks after editor assignment.
- Review completion: typically within 3–5 weeks after acceptance of the invitation.
- First decision (on average): often within 6–8 weeks from submission, depending on reviewer availability.
Roles & Responsibilities in Peer Review
Submitting Authors
- Prepare manuscripts that follow journal guidelines and ethical standards.
- Respond to reviewer and editor comments clearly and respectfully.
- Disclose funding, conflicts of interest, and ethics approvals.
- Refrain from submitting the same work to multiple journals simultaneously.
Peer Reviewers
- Provide constructive, evidence-based comments to help improve the work.
- Deliver reviews within the agreed timeframe or notify editors if delays arise.
- Declare conflicts of interest and decline assignments where appropriate.
- Maintain strict confidentiality over manuscripts and related discussions.
Editors & Editorial Board
- Make fair and timely decisions based on the evidence in reviews and the manuscript.
- Safeguard ethical standards and manage potential conflicts of interest.
- Select qualified reviewers and provide clear guidance and support.
- Communicate decisions and required revisions transparently to authors.
Use of AI tools in peer review: IRU Journal does not permit reviewers to upload confidential manuscripts or reviewer reports into uncontrolled AI tools. Any use of assistive technologies must respect confidentiality, data protection and intellectual property.
Publication Ethics & Misconduct Policy
IRU Journal is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics. This policy explains the responsibilities of all parties involved in the publication process and how concerns or allegations of misconduct are handled.
Ethics Principles in Practice
- Honesty: No fabrication, falsification or plagiarism.
- Respect: For research participants, communities and co-authors.
- Accountability: Editors, reviewers and authors share responsibility for the scholarly record.
Ethical issues are handled confidentially, fairly and without undue delay, with the primary aim of protecting the integrity of the record and those involved.
Core Publication Ethics Principles
Accuracy & Reliability
Published content should present research truthfully, clearly and in a way that can be assessed and, where relevant, replicated.
- No data fabrication or falsification.
- Transparent reporting of methods and limitations.
- Corrections and retractions where necessary.
Ethical Research Conduct
Research involving humans, animals or sensitive data must follow recognised ethical standards and obtain appropriate approvals.
- Documented ethics approval where required.
- Informed consent and confidentiality.
- Careful handling of vulnerable populations.
Impartial Editorial Decisions
Decisions to accept or reject a manuscript are based on scholarly merit, relevance and clarity, not on personal, commercial or political factors.
- Declaration and management of conflicts of interest.
- No discrimination based on personal characteristics.
- Separation of editorial and commercial considerations.
Ethical Responsibilities by Role
Authors & Corresponding Authors
- Submit original work that has not been published or submitted elsewhere (unless clearly disclosed and justified).
- Ensure that all listed authors meet authorship criteria and that no deserving contributor is omitted.
- Disclose all sources of funding and any relevant conflicts of interest.
- Provide underlying data or clarifications when reasonably requested during review or after publication.
Peer Reviewers
- Evaluate manuscripts objectively and constructively, focusing on the content rather than the authors.
- Declare any conflicts of interest and decline to review when necessary.
- Keep manuscripts and associated information strictly confidential.
- Alert editors to suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication or other ethical concerns.
Editors & IRU Journal Office
- Make fair decisions based on evidence from the manuscript and peer review reports.
- Respond to allegations of misconduct in a timely and proportionate way.
- Protect the anonymity of reviewers (where applicable) and the confidentiality of complaints.
- Issue corrections, retractions or expressions of concern as needed to maintain the scholarly record.
Publication Misconduct: Definitions & Examples
Plagiarism & Unattributed Use
Presenting the work, ideas or words of others as one's own without proper acknowledgement, regardless of language or medium.
- Copying text or figures from other sources without citation.
- Patchwork (mosaic) plagiarism from multiple sources.
- Self-plagiarism through duplicate or highly overlapping publications.
Data Fabrication & Falsification
Creating data that were never collected, or manipulating existing data or images such that the results are misrepresented.
- Inventing observations, interviews, survey responses or experiments.
- Altering data points to improve results or hide problems.
- Manipulating images or figures in ways that mislead readers.
Unethical Research Practices
Conducting research without appropriate ethical oversight, consent or care for participants, animals or sensitive data.
- No ethics approval where it is clearly required.
- Lack of informed consent or improper coercion.
- Inadequate protection of confidential or identifying data.
Inappropriate Authorship & Conflicts
Misrepresenting who contributed to the work or failing to disclose relevant relationships that may bias the research.
- Gift or ghost authorship.
- Omitting key contributors who meet authorship criteria.
- Undisclosed financial, institutional or personal conflicts.
Redundant & Duplicate Publication
Publishing substantially similar work in more than one journal without clear disclosure, justification or cross-referencing.
- Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals at once.
- Salami slicing (unjustified fragmentation of one study into many papers).
- Re-publishing data as if new without acknowledgement.
Other Forms of Misconduct
IRU Journal also considers other behaviours unethical when they undermine trust in the research or publication process.
- Inappropriate citation manipulation or coercive citation.
- Improper use of AI tools to generate or manipulate content without disclosure.
- Harassment, discrimination or retaliation within the review process.
How IRU Journal Handles Ethics Concerns & Misconduct
Receive & Log Concern
Concerns or allegations can be raised by reviewers, readers, editors, institutions or others. The editorial office acknowledges receipt and logs the issue in a confidential internal register.
Initial Assessment
The Editor-in-Chief or delegated editor conducts a preliminary review to determine whether the concern appears credible and relevant to the journal.
Information Gathering
Editors may seek further information from authors, reviewers, institutions or independent experts. Where appropriate, similarity checks, data re-analyses or image forensics tools may be used.
Decision & Actions
Based on the evidence, the editors decide on an appropriate response. This may include rejection, correction, expression of concern, retraction, or other remedial actions.
Follow-up, Communication & Record-Keeping
Editors communicate the outcome to the parties involved as far as is appropriate and maintain a confidential record of the case.
Corrections, Retractions & Maintaining the Record
Errata & Minor Corrections
Minor errors (for example, typographical mistakes, author affiliation updates or minor figure corrections) that do not affect the overall results or conclusions may be addressed via an erratum or small correction notice.
- The correction is clearly linked to the original article.
- The online version of the article is updated where appropriate.
- The reason for the correction is summarised transparently.
Major Corrections & Expressions of Concern
Where there are substantial concerns about an article but the outcome of an investigation is not yet clear, IRU Journal may issue an expression of concern.
Retractions & Withdrawals
Retraction may be considered when there is clear evidence that the findings are unreliable, have involved serious misconduct, or when ethical standards have been seriously breached.
- Retraction notices explain why the article is being retracted.
- The original article is clearly marked as retracted and remains accessible where appropriate.
- Retractions are not used to punish honest error when a correction would be sufficient.
Use of AI tools by authors: IRU Journal expects authors to disclose any substantial use of AI tools in the preparation of manuscripts (for example, for drafting text, analysing data or creating images). AI tools must not be listed as authors and should not be used to fabricate data, references or peer review reports.
Human & animal studies: For research involving humans or animals, authors must state the relevant ethics committee approvals and confirm that recognised standards (for example, informed consent, humane care and use) were followed. Manuscripts may be rejected where adequate ethical safeguards cannot be demonstrated.
Zero tolerance for fabricated peer review: IRU Journal does not accept reviewer suggestions that involve false identities or email addresses designed to route reviews back to the authors or associated parties. Any evidence of such behaviour will be treated as serious misconduct.
Indexing Policy & Roadmap
IRU Journal is designed from the ground up to be easy to find, easy to cite, and technically aligned with international indexing standards. This page outlines our current coverage, target indexes, and quality commitments.
How We Think About Indexing
- Phase 1: Technical discoverability and Google Scholar readiness.
- Phase 2: Open access & regional indexing (DOAJ, AJOL, etc.).
- Phase 3: Major global databases (Scopus, ESCI, subject indexes).
Authors can already benefit from robust metadata and search-engine optimization, with more formal indexes added over time.
Note: Some indexes below are marked as targets with planned application windows. As we are formally accepted, this page will be updated.
Indexing & Abstracting Overview
Browse by tier to see current technical coverage and target indexes.
Technical & Discoverability
Search Engines & Scholarly Crawlers
Type: Discoverability & crawling
IRU Journal articles are structured to be visible to general search engines and scholarly crawlers such as Google and Google Scholar.
- Dedicated article pages (HTML) with abstracts and metadata.
- Search-engine-friendly URLs and headings.
- XML/HTML sitemaps and crawler-friendly robots.txt.
Persistent Identifiers & DOIs
Type: Persistent identifiers & linking
IRU Journal is committed to assigning Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to all accepted articles to ensure stable linking and citation.
- DOI registration via a recognized registration agency (e.g. Crossref).
- Article-level metadata deposit for better discovery.
- Reference linking to other scholarly content.
ISSN & Journal Registration
Type: Journal identity
IRU Journal will maintain valid ISSN registration (online and, where relevant, print) to confirm its identity and support indexing.
- Clear statement of publisher (IRU Business Group Ltd).
- Country of publication and contact details visible on site.
- ISSN data used consistently across all platforms.
Tier 1 – Foundational Open Access & Identifiers
DOAJ – Directory of Open Access Journals
Type: Open access journal index
DOAJ is a key global index for open access journals. IRU Journal aims to apply once it demonstrates regular issues, clear policies, and open access compliance.
- Transparent peer-review and ethics policies.
- Open access policy and licensing clearly stated.
- Consistent publishing schedule and article quality.
ROAD & Other ISSN-Based Directories
Type: Open access resources directory
ROAD and similar ISSN-based directories increase visibility of open access scholarly resources. IRU Journal will seek inclusion as eligibility is met.
- Accurate and up-to-date journal metadata.
- Stable hosting and long-term archiving strategy.
- Alignment with open access best practices.
ORCID Integration
Type: Author identification
IRU Journal encourages authors to use ORCID iDs to uniquely identify their work and link publications to their profiles.
- ORCID collected at submission where available.
- ORCID iDs displayed in published articles.
- Support for connecting publications to ORCID records.
Tier 2 – Regional & Subject Indexes
AJOL – African Journals Online
Type: Regional index (Africa)
AJOL is a major platform for African journals. IRU Journal plans to seek inclusion once it has several issues published and demonstrates regional relevance and robust peer review.
- Emphasis on African and Global South contexts.
- Regional diversity in editorial board and authorship.
- Reliable publishing frequency and quality control.
Subject-Specific & Regional Indexes
Type: Topic-focused indexing
Depending on disciplines covered (e.g., health, education, innovation, business), IRU Journal will identify suitable subject indexes and regional databases to partner with.
- Matching journal sections to relevant subject indexes.
- Ensuring ethical, methodological, and reporting standards.
- Preparing tailored applications per database requirements.
Institutional & Library Discovery Layers
Type: Library & repository integration
IRU Journal intends to support exportable metadata (e.g., MARC, RIS, BibTeX) that libraries and repositories can ingest into their discovery systems.
- Structured metadata for library catalogues.
- Support for institutional repositories.
- Facilitating Open Science and local archiving.
Tier 3 – Major Global Databases
Scopus
Type: Major multidisciplinary database
IRU Journal views Scopus as a long-term target. Applications are typically considered once a track record of quality, international authorship, and consistent publishing has been established.
- Focus on methodological robustness and originality.
- Increasing international diversity among authors and editors.
- Monitoring citation activity and journal impact.
Web of Science – Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI)
Type: Citation index (emerging sources)
ESCI is often a first step into Web of Science. IRU Journal will consider application once it has demonstrated editorial quality, ethical standards, and international relevance.
- Adherence to COPE-aligned publication ethics.
- Transparent editorial processes and independence.
- Consistent issues over multiple years.
Other Aggregators & Subject Databases
Type: Library/subject aggregation platforms
Over time, IRU Journal may collaborate with platforms such as EBSCO, ProQuest, and disciplinary databases, depending on how the journal's scope evolves.
- Mapping journal sections to aggregator subject areas.
- Ensuring metadata and licensing support inclusion.
- Building partnerships with libraries and consortia.
Indexing Commitments & Technical Standards
What IRU Journal commits to, regardless of index.
Editorial & Policy Commitments
IRU Journal follows good practice guidelines for responsible publishing, aligned with widely recognized recommendations for publication ethics.
- Clear aims & scope and transparent editorial governance.
- Documented peer-review and decision-making processes.
- Publication ethics and malpractice statement.
- Plagiarism checks and conflict-of-interest declarations.
- Open access policy and fee transparency (APCs) on the website.
Technical & Metadata Standards
All articles are prepared with structured metadata to support search, indexing and long-term preservation.
- Standardized article metadata: title, authors, affiliations, ORCID, abstract, keywords.
- Structured references to support citation indexing.
- Machine-readable metadata for crawlers and library systems.
- Stable URLs and long-term hosting strategy.
- Use of persistent identifiers (ISSN, DOIs) as they become available.
Indexing Roadmap
A phased approach for IRU Journal's indexing journey.
Launch & Technical Discoverability
Focus on article structure, metadata, Google Scholar readiness, ISSN registration, and preparation for DOI assignment. Establish a consistent publishing schedule and core editorial policies.
Open Access & Regional Indexing
Once several issues are published, prioritize applications to open access and regional indexes (e.g., DOAJ, ROAD, AJOL), and deepen integration with institutional repositories and discovery layers.
Major Global Databases
After building a multi-year track record of quality and impact, consider applications to major databases such as Scopus and ESCI, supported by citation data and international authorship.
Contact Us
If you have questions about any of these policies or need clarification, please contact us:
Email:editorial@irujournal.orgAddress:IRU Journal, Gahanga, Kicukiro, Kigali, RwandaPhone:+250 795 381 733 / +250 736 318 111
