Conflict of Interest Policy

The Libyan Open University Journal of Applied Sciences (LOUJAS) is committed to transparency and ethical conduct in all stages of the publication process. A conflict of interest exists when professional judgment concerning a primary interest (e.g., the validity of research) may be influenced by a secondary interest (e.g., financial gain or personal relationships).

All authors, reviewers, and editors are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest to ensure the integrity of the publication.

1. Policy for Authors

Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or other relationships that could be seen as influencing the outcome or interpretation of their work. This includes:

  • Financial Interests: Any funding, grants, or payment from organizations that have a commercial interest in the results of the research.

  • Affiliations: Employment, consultancy, or membership in a relevant organization.

  • Personal Relationships: Any close relationships with editors, reviewers, or other authors that could influence the peer review process.

Authors must include a statement disclosing these potential conflicts within the submitted manuscript, typically at the end of the main text.

2. Policy for Reviewers

Reviewers are critical to maintaining the impartiality of the peer review process. They must decline to review a manuscript if they have:

  • A close personal or professional relationship with any of the authors.

  • A direct financial interest in the research, such as a patent or ownership in a company.

  • A strong academic or professional rivalry with the authors.

  • A strong prior opinion on the research that would prevent an objective review.

Reviewers who identify a potential conflict must immediately notify the editor and withdraw from the review process.

3. Policy for Editors

Editors are responsible for ensuring a fair and unbiased review process. They must recuse themselves from handling a manuscript if:

  • They are a co-author of the manuscript.

  • They have a direct personal or professional relationship with an author (e.g., family member, recent co-author).

  • They have a financial interest in the research.

In such cases, another member of the editorial board will be assigned to manage the manuscript's review process.