Aims and Objectives

The aim of the journal is to publish the results of research into current issues in economic development amidst transformational processes, and to promote the advancement of economic science and the application of its findings in economic practice.The journal publishes original scientific papers containing new theoretical and applied findings in the fields of economics, finance, management, marketing and entrepreneurship, and aims to foster scientific communication between domestic and international researchers. The journal’s activities are focused on integrating the results of Ukrainian scientific research into the international scientific community, adhering to standards of academic integrity, and ensuring the quality of scientific publications.

 

Review Policy

The Editorial Board of the scientific journal accepts original research articles in English or Ukrainian that have not been previously published elsewhere. Submitted manuscripts must not be under consideration by any other periodical. All articles must comply with the Journal’s Formatting Requirements.

The primary factors influencing the Editorial Board's decision to publish are the results of originality checks, the reliability of the research, the relevance of the topic, and its significance for researchers and readers. The Editorial Board does not permit the publication of materials prohibited by Ukrainian legislation or links to such resources. The Editorial Board informs the author regarding potential publication timelines and the specific issue in which the article may appear.

All articles undergo peer review by leading domestic and foreign experts prior to publication. Reviewers are not disclosed to authors, and authors remain anonymous to reviewers (double-blind review). Peer review serves two main functions to enhance the quality of scientific research:

  1. To determine the reliability, significance, and originality of the article.
  2. To suggest ways to improve the publication.

The review provides the fundamental contribution to the Board's editorial decisions. It assists the Editor-in-Chief in making informed choices and, through editorial communication, may also help the author refine their manuscript.

The Editorial Board makes the final decision on publication solely based on the reviewers' conclusions. Provided that the submitted materials align with the goals, objectives, and editorial policy of the journal, articles are published primarily in the author's edition; otherwise, the material is rejected. The Editorial Board may not necessarily share the authors' opinions and bears no responsibility for the professional content, methodological correctness, or the accuracy of internet links and literary sources cited within the text.

Reviewer selection criteria

  • Possession of a Ph. D. or DSс (Doctor of Sciences) degree.
  • Documented publications related to the subject matter of the reviewed article.
  • Presence of publications in journals indexed in Scopus and/or Web of Science.
  • Absence of a conflict of interest with the author(s).
  • No more than one reviewer from the author's home institution.
  • Involvement of international reviewers (where possible).
  • The reviewer must not have been a co-author of the candidate during the last 3 years.

Core principles for reviewers

Promptness. Any invited reviewer who feels unqualified to review the research or knows they cannot provide a timely report must immediately notify the Editor-in-Chief to ensure an alternative review can be arranged.

Confidentiality. Any manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with others, except as authorised by the Editor-in-Chief. Reviewers must not attempt to contact potential authors of the articles assigned to them.

Standards of objectivity. Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is unacceptable. Reviewers must express their views clearly with supporting arguments.

Citation integrity. Reviewers should alert the Editor to any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published data of which they have personal knowledge. Reviewers must not use any part of the reviewed material in their own research without proper citation.

Conflict of interest. Reviewers must decline to review manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships/connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions associated with the submission.

The review process

Stage 1. Preliminary review (up to 7 days).

  • Checking alignment with the journal’s scope.
  • Plagiarism check (using StrikePlagiarism).
  • Verification of compliance with formatting requirements.
  • Decision: proceed to peer review or reject.

Stage 2. Appointment of reviewers (2-3 days).

Two independent reviewers are appointed by the Executive Secretary of the Editorial Board. Selection is based on qualifications and publication history. An anonymised version of the article is provided for review.

Stage 3. Peer review (2-4 weeks).

Reviewers evaluate:

  • Topic relevance and scientific novelty.
  • Alignment of the title with the content.
  • Quality of the literature review and methodology.
  • Reliability of results and validity of conclusions.
  • Language and formatting quality.

Stage 4. Editorial Board Decision.

Reviews must be objective and evidence-based.

Possible recommendations:

  • Publish as submitted (no changes).
  • Accept with minor editorial revisions.
  • Return to the author for major revision (requires re-review after updates).
  • Reject without further consideration.

In case of conflicting reviews, a third reviewer is appointed or the Editorial Board makes the final call.

Stage 5. Author revision.

  • Author receives anonymous feedback.
  • Prepares a revised version.
  • Submits a point-by-point response to the reviewers’ comments.

Stage 6. Final decision.

The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision based on the reviewers' recommendations.

Forms of documentation:

  • Reviews are prepared in the standard journal format.
  • All reviews are stored in the editorial archive for 3 years.
  • Upon request from the Ministry of Education and Science or other authorised bodies, reviews are provided.

Timelines:

  • General timeline: from submission to first final decision: 4-6 weeks.
  • Revision window: 14 days.
  • Re-review period: 10-14 days.

Appeal: The author has the right to appeal a rejection within 10 days. The appeal is reviewed by an independent member of the Editorial Board.

Once accepted, the manuscript undergoes literary editing, abstract editing (English), and final proofreading. The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject a manuscript at this stage if improper literary edits are found or if the author makes significant unauthorised changes to the content.

 

Policy on Academic Integrity and Publication Ethics

The editorial policy of the journal is committed to adhering to the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and is guided by the principles of academic integrity. Its primary objective is to ensure a highly objective evaluation of scientific content, determine compliance with the journal’s requirements, and provide a comprehensive analysis of the manuscript's merits and weaknesses.

The Editorial Board accepts only original materials articles that have not been previously published and have not been submitted to other journals. To detect textual borrowings in submitted manuscripts, the Editorial Board utilises specialized software. Manuscripts containing unattributed borrowings (plagiarism) are rejected prior to publication. All submissions are screened for plagiarism using StrikePlagiarism.com software provided by the Polish company Plagiat.pl.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY

Academic integrity serves as the cornerstone of the Editorial Board's activities, guaranteeing the quality and authority of published research. The journal promotes a culture of scientific inquiry based on:

  • Intellectual honesty: results presented in the article must be the outcome of the author’s independent research, free from manipulation or distortion.
  • Respect for intellectual property: by submitting an article, the author guarantees that the work does not violate existing copyrights. Illustrative materials (tables, figures, photos, etc.) must include proper citations.
  • Open access: the journal declares a policy of open access to research results, fostering scientific discussion and the advancement of scholarly thought.
  • Objectivity: reviewers provide an unbiased expert assessment to enhance the scientific quality of manuscripts.
  • Equality: the Editorial Board ensures equal opportunities for all authors, regardless of their status or titles.

The primary violation of academic integrity is academic plagiarism, defined as the reproduction of others' results, ideas, or text fragments without proper attribution. To avoid plagiarism, authors must:

  • Use quotation marks for verbatim text.
  • Maintain the original context of the quote.
  • Use ellipses (...) to indicate omitted parts of a quote.
  • Limit the use of direct quotations.

This policy also applies to self-plagiarism, where an author reuses their own previously published materials while presenting them as new scientific findings.

Other violations include data fabrication and falsification (inventing facts, manipulating archival sources, or intentionally altering research results to support a false hypothesis). Furthermore, authorship manipulation including individuals who did not participate in the research or commissioning texts through third-party commercial services is strictly prohibited.

In light of technological advancements, the undisclosed use of generative AI is also considered a violation. Submitting text or images generated by AI without proper declaration and critical reassessment by the author is regarded as a form of academic deception. Additionally, duplicate submission (submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously) and the intentional concealment of conflicts of interest are unacceptable.

PUBLICATION ETHICS

The journal consistently adheres to the COPE Code of Conduct publishing standards.

Editorial Board members and independent experts review articles based on objectivity and international academic standards.

The Editorial Office reserves the right to make stylistic edits. Edits that may alter the meaning of the text are coordinated with the author.

The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject articles that do not meet the journal’s requirements or scope.

Opinions expressed in articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board. Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy of information, names, statistical data, and citations.

The Editorial Board reserves the right to make minor literary edits and abridgements to texts, while preserving the author's style.

Submitted materials are not returned and cannot be published in other scientific journals.

Ethical principles for the Editorial Board

Decisions are based on the positive feedback of a qualified reviewer who has no conflict of interest with the author.

Manuscripts are evaluated regardless of the race, gender, religious views, origin, citizenship, social status, or political affiliations of the authors.

A manuscript will not be published if there are grounds to believe it is plagiarised. The academic integrity threshold must exceed 80%.

The Editorial Board addresses all claims regarding manuscripts or published materials and takes necessary steps to resolve conflicts and restore violated rights.

Ethical principles for reviewers

Manuscripts are treated as confidential documents and intellectual property. They cannot be shared with third parties without editorial authorisation.

By submitting a manuscript for review, authors entrust reviewers with the results of their scientific work and creative efforts, on which their reputation and career may depend. Disclosure of confidential information about the review of a manuscript violates the author's rights. Breach of confidentiality is possible only in the event of a statement of inaccuracy or falsification of materials; in all other cases, its preservation is mandatory.

Reviewers provide an objective assessment of the manuscript's quality and its compliance with scientific, literary, and ethical standards. Personal criticism is impermissible.

The reviewer shall not consider manuscripts if there is a conflict of interest arising from competition, collaboration, or other relationships with any authors or organisations associated with the manuscript.

Ethical principles for authors

The author(s) guarantee that the submitted manuscript:

  • Presents reliable research results.
  • Is not plagiarised.
  • Has not been previously published in any language.
  • Contains proper citations for all sources used during the preparation of the article.

 

Procedure for Reviewing Complaints Regarding Violations of Academic Integrity and Publication Ethics

The Editorial Board of the journal ensures a transparent and fair procedure for handling complaints related to potential violations of academic integrity and publication ethics. This protocol establishes the procedure for investigating complaints against authors, reviewers, or Editorial Board members regarding ethical breaches. It covers issues such as plagiarism, misappropriation of materials, conflicts of interest, data manipulation, and other forms of academic misconduct.

  1. Submitting a сomplaint

Complaints regarding potential misconduct (plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, duplicate publication, copyright infringement, or conflict of interest) must be submitted electronically to the journal’s official email address. The complaint must specify the nature of the violation and, where possible, provide supporting evidence. Anonymous complaints will not be considered. A valid complaint must clearly include:

  • Applicant’s contact information;
  • A link to the publication or material under review;
  • A detailed description of the violation with references to evidence.
  1. Preliminary кeview

The Editor-in-Chief or an authorised member of the Editorial Board conducts an initial assessment of the complaint's merit. Within 5 working days, the authorised person verifies:

  • Whether the complaint falls within the journal’s scope;
  • The presence of sufficient grounds for further investigation.

The applicant will receive a notification regarding the registration of the complaint or a reasoned refusal to consider it.

  1. Expert investigation

If necessary, the Editorial Board engages independent experts or reviewers to conduct a further examination of the facts.

The Commission has the right to:

  • Request additional materials and explanations.
  • Involve independent experts.
  • Consult with all interested parties.

The investigation period shall not exceed 30 calendar days.

  1. Informing the parties

The author(s) of the manuscript are informed of the essence of the complaint and have the right to provide written explanations or reasoned objections.

  1. Decision making

Based on the results of the investigation, the Editorial Board issues a decision, which may include:

  • Rejecting the complaint as unsubstantiated.
  • Identifying a minor violation and suggesting corrections.
  • Identifying a significant violation and taking appropriate action.

Measures in cases of significant misconduct:

  • Rejection of the manuscript.
  • Retraction of an already published article.
  • A temporary ban on future submissions.
  • Reporting the violation to the author’s home institution.
  1. Confidentiality

All stages of the complaint process are conducted in accordance with the principles of confidentiality and impartiality.

  1. Protection of rights

All parties involved in the conflict have the right to:

  • Receive full information regarding the investigation process.
  • Present their explanations and evidence.
  • Appeal the Commission's decision.
  1. Appeals

The Commission's decision may be appealed to the Editor-in-Chief within 14 days. The Editor-in-Chief reviews the appeal within 10 working days. The decision of the Editor-in-Chief is final.

Editorial Board members are required to comply with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the European Association of Science Editors (EASE), and the journal's principles of publication ethics.

 

Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence and AI-Assisted Technologies

The policy of the journal regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is based on the statements of COPE, WAME, JAMA Network, ICMJE recommendations, the requirements of the EU AI Act, the Concept of AI Development in Ukraine, and the Law of Ukraine "On Academic Integrity".

The growing popularity of generative artificial intelligence and AI-supported technologies, which are expected to be used more and more by authors of publications, has led the journal's editorial board to create a policy on the use of AI. These rules are designed to ensure greater transparency and improve the quality of publications for authors, reviewers, editors, and readers. The editorial board will monitor the development of AI technologies and adjust or refine these rules.

For authors

If authors use generative artificial intelligence and AI-supported technologies in the writing process, these technologies should only be used to improve readability and correct grammatical errors in the work. The use of AI technology should be supervised and controlled by humans, and authors should carefully review and edit the results, as AI can produce authoritative results that may be incorrect, incomplete, or biased. Authors bear ultimate responsibility for the content of their work.

Authors should disclose in their manuscripts any use of artificial intelligence and AI-supported technologies. The use of AI should be indicated in the published work. Declaring the use of these technologies promotes transparency and trust between authors, readers, reviewers, and editors, and helps ensure compliance with the terms of use of the relevant tool or technology.

Authors should not list artificial intelligence and AI-supported technologies as authors or co-authors, nor should they cite artificial intelligence as an author. Authorship entails responsibilities and tasks that can only be assigned to and performed by humans. Each (co-)author is responsible for ensuring that issues related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are properly investigated and resolved, and authorship requires the ability to approve the final version of the work and agree to its submission. Authors are also responsible for ensuring that the work is original and that the work does not infringe on the rights of third parties. All authors should familiarise themselves with our publication ethics policy before submitting.

Use of generative AI in figures, images, and illustrations

The use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create or alter images in submitted manuscripts is prohibited. This includes enhancing, obscuring, moving, removing, or adding specific features within an image. Adjustments to brightness, contrast, or colour balance are acceptable only if they do not obscure or eliminate information present in the original.

The only exception is when the use of artificial intelligence or artificial intelligence tools is part of the research design or research methods (e.g., in approaches to artificial intelligence visualisation for creating or interpreting key research data, such as in biomedical imaging). If this is done, such use should be indicated and described appropriately in the text of the manuscript. This should include an explanation of how artificial intelligence or artificial intelligence-assisted tools were used in the process of creating or modifying the image, as well as the name of the model or tool, version number and extension, and manufacturer. Authors must adhere to specific rules for using artificial intelligence-based software and ensure that content is properly referenced. Where possible, authors may be asked to provide AI-edited versions of images and/or raw images used to create the final submitted versions for editorial review.

The use of generative artificial intelligence or AI-supported tools in the creation of artistic works, such as graphic annotations, is prohibited. The use of generative artificial intelligence in the creation of covers may be permitted in some cases if the author obtains prior permission from the editor and publisher of the journal, can demonstrate that all necessary rights to use the relevant material have been obtained, and ensures that the content is correctly referenced.

For reviewers

When a researcher is invited to review another researcher's article, the manuscript should be treated as a confidential document. Reviewers should not upload the submitted manuscript or any part of it into a generative artificial intelligence tool, as this may violate the confidentiality and property rights of the authors, and if the article contains personal information, it may violate data privacy rights.

This confidentiality requirement extends to the reviewer's report (review), as it may contain confidential information about the manuscript and/or authors. For this reason, reviewers should not upload their review to an artificial intelligence tool, even if it is only for the purpose of correcting grammatical errors and readability.

Peer review is the foundation of the scientific ecosystem, and the Editorial Board adheres to the highest standards of integrity in this process. Peer review of a scientific manuscript involves a responsibility that can only be entrusted to humans. Reviewers should not use generative artificial intelligence or AI-assisted technologies to assist in the scientific review of an article, as the critical thinking and original assessment required for peer review are beyond the scope of this technology, and there is a risk that this technology will lead to incorrect, incomplete, or biased conclusions about the manuscript. The reviewer is responsible for the content of the review.

The Editorial Board's policy on authors using artificial intelligence states that authors are permitted to use generative artificial intelligence and artificial intelligence-assisted technologies in the writing process prior to submitting an article, but only to improve the readability and correct grammatical errors in their article, and with appropriate disclosure.

For editors

The submitted manuscript should be treated as a confidential document. Editors should not upload the submitted manuscript or any part of it into a generative artificial intelligence tool, as this may violate the confidentiality and property rights of the authors and, if the article contains personal information, may violate data privacy rights.

This confidentiality requirement applies to all communications about the manuscript, including any communications or letters with decisions, as they may contain confidential information about the manuscript and/or authors. For this reason, editors should not upload their letters to artificial intelligence tools, even if it is only for the purpose of improving language and readability.

Managing the editorial evaluation of scientific manuscripts involves responsibilities that can only be entrusted to humans. Generative artificial intelligence or AI-supported technologies should not be used by editors to assist in the evaluation or decision-making process for a manuscript, as the critical thinking and original assessment required for this work are beyond the scope of this technology, and there is a risk that the technology will lead to incorrect, incomplete, or biased conclusions about the manuscript. The editor is responsible for the editorial process, the final decision, and communicating that decision to the authors.

The Editorial Board's policy regarding authors states that authors are permitted to use generative artificial intelligence and artificial intelligence technologies in the writing process prior to submission, but only to improve readability and correct grammatical errors in their article, and with appropriate disclosure. If an editor suspects that an author or reviewer has violated the AI Policy, they should report it to the Editorial Board.

 

Complaints and Retraction Policy

The Editorial Board is committed to ensuring openness, transparency, and timely responses to all substantiated complaints or suggestions received from authors, reviewers, or readers. Each submission is considered individually, taking into account its nature and complexity, and decisions are based on the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

All proposals and complaints must be sent to the official email address of the journal. Messages are reviewed within ten working days. A complaint must be clear, concise, and reasoned, providing sufficient data to support a potential breach of publication ethics or editorial policy. Where possible, the applicant should attach documents or evidence supporting their position.

Personal complaints regarding the actions of authors, reviewers, Editorial Board members, or other participants in the editorial process are considered exclusively within the journal's competence. In cases where the complaint falls outside the Editorial Board's scope of responsibility, the applicant will be provided with a reasoned explanation for the refusal to consider it. The journal reserves the right not to investigate complaints submitted in an incorrect, offensive, threatening, or defamatory manner.

In the event of significant violations or data inaccuracies, the Editorial Board may decide to retract a previously published article. The final decision is made by the Editor-in-Chief.

Grounds for retraction include:

  • Clear evidence that the findings are unreliable, whether as a result of misconduct (e.g., data fabrication, image manipulation) or honest error.
  • Duplicate publication of results in previous works without proper attribution or permission (redundant publication).
  • Evidence of fictitious or false authorship.
  • Compromised peer review process.
  • Research conducted in violation of ethical standards or professional codes.

Requests for retraction can be submitted until the moment of official publication. To do so, an official letter explaining the reasons for the withdrawal must be sent to the Editorial Office. The statement must be concise, clear, and signed by all authors all authors.

Upon receiving the letter, the Editorial Office confirms the retraction, and the manuscript is removed from the publishing database. Copyright to the text remains with the authors. Once a decision on retraction is reached:

  1. A "Retracted" watermark is added to the electronic version of the article.
  2. The title of the publication is changed to "Retracted: [Article Title]".
  3. A separate Retraction Notice is published, signed by the Editorial Board, specifying the reasons and the DOI.

The Editorial Board reserves the right to decide on future cooperation with the author(s) of a retracted article.

 

Publication Ethics, and Editorial Policy of the Journal

The Publication Ethics Policy of the journal is developed in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). This policy is regularly updated to reflect the evolving guidelines provided by COPE. The Editorial Office monitors the compliance of materials with international ethical norms; however, it acknowledges the absence of a complete guarantee that the research materials submitted by authors for publication fully comply with ethical standards. The Editorial Board of the scientific journal may, at any time, change any point of the editorial policy without prior notice to the authors. The Editorial Office of the scientific journal hopes that its activities will contribute to the development of both national and global economic science.

EDITORIAL POLICY AND ETHICAL OBLIGATIONS

Within the framework of its editorial policy, the Editorial Office of the journal consistently adheres to the COPE Code of Conduct publishing standards approved by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics).

Members of the Editorial Board and/or independent external experts review articles in accordance with the principle of objectivity and from the perspective of international academic standards. The Editorial Office reserves the right to make stylistic and literary edits to the manuscript while preserving the author's style. Edits that, in the opinion of the Editorial Office, may alter the meaning of the text are coordinated with the author.

The Editorial Board of the scientific publication reserves the right to reject articles that do not meet the requirements and the subject scope of the journal. The opinions and suggestions expressed in the articles do not necessarily coincide with the viewpoint of the Editorial Board. Responsibility for the reliability of information in the articles, the accuracy of titles, statistical data, surnames, and citations is borne by the authors.

In its activities, the Editorial Office follows the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics and requires compliance with ethical obligations from all participants in the process.

Ethical obligations of the Editorial Board

Members of the Editorial Board are responsible for the publication of the submitted manuscript, guided by the following fundamental principles:

  • The Editorial Board consists of leading domestic and foreign scholars who are specialists in the fields of science corresponding to the thematic focus of the journal and are recognised experts in the field of economics and related issues. The composition of the Editorial Board, indicating academic degrees and places of work, is available on the journal's website. The Editor-in-Chief and the Managing Editor regularly inform Board members about key issues in the preparation of the publication, consult with them, and involve them in the peer-review process.
  • The Editorial Board is responsible for the publication, defining the editorial policy, conducting careful selection and review of manuscripts, and reserving the right to reject or return an article for revision.
  • When evaluating manuscripts, the Editorial Board is guided solely by the scientific and intellectual value of the work, regardless of the race, gender, sexual orientation, religious views, origin, citizenship, place of work, political preferences, or social status of the author(s). The Editorial Board provides authors with the opportunity to provide a reasoned response to any remarks.
  • The Editorial Board does not provide information related to the content of the manuscript under consideration to anyone other than the persons involved in the professional evaluation of said manuscript. Unpublished data is not used for personal purposes and is not transferred to third parties without the written consent of the author. Information or ideas obtained during the editing process and related to potential advantages are confidential and are not used for personal gain.
  • The Editorial Board does not accept articles for which there are sufficient grounds to consider them plagiarism and opposes falsification, plagiarism, and the simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple scientific publications.

The Editorial Office reserves the right to reject manuscripts without review if:

  • The uniqueness of the manuscript text is less than 80% of its total volume.
  • The author(s) have an affiliation with an organisation or institution located on the territory of an aggressor state or a state sponsor of terrorism.
  • The research is funded by an organisation or institution located on the territory of an aggressor state or a state sponsor of terrorism.
  • The manuscripts contain calls for human rights violations, terrorism, or are aimed at spreading ideological positions and/or politicised ideas.

Ethical obligations of authors

Authors bear personal responsibility for the submitted manuscript text, which involves adherence to the following principles:

  • Authors must guarantee the originality of the research results presented in the submitted manuscripts. Borrowed fragments or statements must be appropriately formatted with the mandatory indication of the author and the primary source. Excessive borrowing, as well as plagiarism in any form, is unethical and unacceptable. Authors bear full responsibility for the content of the articles.
  • Authors must acknowledge the contribution of all persons who influenced the research to some extent. In particular, the article must provide references to works that were significant in the conduct of the research.
  • All persons who made a significant contribution to the study must be indicated as co-authors. It is unacceptable to include persons who did not participate in the research among the co-authors.
  • The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors are included in the list of authors and that all co-authors have given full consent to the approval of the final version of the article and its submission for publication.
  • Authors must not submit articles that are under consideration or review in other publications, nor articles that have been previously published.
  • In the event that an author discovers significant errors or inaccuracies in their article, they must notify the Editorial Office of the journal as soon as possible.
  • Authors must clearly state the sources of funding used for the creation of their manuscript, including for the research and/or publication. Information about financial support for research by specific organisations is indicated by the corresponding author on behalf of all authors upon submission. Other sources of support for publications should be mentioned in the manuscript, typically in the form of acknowledgments.

Ethical obligations of reviewers

A reviewer performs a scientific examination of author materials for the purpose of objectively evaluating the quality of the submitted article and determining its level of compliance with scientific, literary, and ethical standards. When evaluating an article, the reviewer must be impartial and adhere to the COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers:

  • An article received for review is treated as a confidential document that cannot be passed on for familiarisation or discussion to third parties.
  • The reviewer performs a scientific examination of author materials impartially. Remarks must be clearly formulated with supporting arguments so that authors can use them to improve the article. Personal criticism of the author is unacceptable.
  • The reviewer is obliged to provide an objective and reasoned assessment of the research results, determine the manuscript's compliance with scientific standards, and alert the editor to any published or submitted material that is substantially similar to the material under consideration.
  • Unpublished data obtained from manuscripts submitted for consideration cannot be used by the reviewer for personal purposes.
  • A reviewer who, in their opinion, does not have sufficient qualifications to evaluate the article or cannot be objective for example, in the case of a conflict of interest with the author or organisation must notify the Editorial Office and ask to be excluded from the review process for said article.

Ethical obligations of the publisher

The publisher is responsible for the dissemination of author works, adhering to the following fundamental principles and procedures:

  • Providing support to the Editorial Office when handling claims regarding the ethical aspects of published materials and assisting in interaction with other journals and/or publishers if this contributes to the performance of the editors' duties.
  • Adhering to the provision that the journal's activities are not a commercial project and do not aim to make a profit.
  • Facilitating the process of making changes to a publication or retracting (withdrawing) a publication if such a decision has been made by the Editorial Board of the journal.

 

Ethical Statements

The journal's policy on obtaining ethical approval for research involving humans, animals, their biomaterials, and confidential data is based on the current legislation of Ukraine specifically the Law of Ukraine "On the Protection of Human Rights in Biomedical Research", the Law of Ukraine "On Personal Data Protection", and the Law of Ukraine "On the Protection of Animals from Cruelty" as well as international ethical guidelines (Declaration of Helsinki, ARRIVE guidelines, etc.). The journal recognises the priority of ethical norms and standards in scientific research involving humans, animals, and their biological materials, as well as in studies encompassing personal or other confidential data.

Authors are required to provide confirmation of a positive decision (ethical approval) from an authorised ethics committee in cases where the research:

  • Involves human participants as research subjects.
  • Includes work with human biomaterials.
  • Uses animals or their biological objects.
  • Involves the processing of personal, sensitive, or confidential data.
  • Falls under special provisions of Ukrainian law or international regulations regarding bioethics and biosafety.

The ethical statement must clearly state:

  • The full name of the institution that issued the permission.
  • The date and protocol number.
  • The forms of informed consent obtained (for research involving humans).

Authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained voluntarily, without coercion, and in a format understandable to the participants.

It is strictly prohibited to publish personal data or visual materials that allow for the identification of an individual without their explicit written consent.

Research on animals must comply with the 3Rs principles (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement). Authors must provide information on housing conditions, the protocols used, and the measures taken to minimise animal suffering.

The processing of confidential and personal data must comply with the requirements of the Law of Ukraine "On Personal Data Protection" and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Data must be depersonalised or anonymised. Authors must describe the information protection mechanisms and access procedures utilised in their study.

The Editorial Board reserves the right to request copies of ethical approvals, informed consent forms, research protocols, or other documents to verify compliance with ethical standards. The journal may refuse to publish material in which ethical requirements have been violated or where information regarding compliance is incomplete.

If a violation of ethical norms is discovered after publication, the journal may take appropriate editorial actions, ranging from issuing corrections to retracting the article. Decisions will be made in accordance with COPE guidelines.

 

Adherence to the Principles and Recommendations of COPE, WAME, DORA, etc.

The Editorial Board of the journal adheres to the following principles and recommendations of international organisations:

COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics – Ethical Standards):

  • In the processes of submission, peer review, and publication of articles.
  • Ensuring the independence of editors and reviewers.
  • Academic integrity (avoidance of plagiarism, falsification, and duplicate publications).
  • Proper authorship (clear definition of each author's individual contribution).
  • Complaint handling (availability of open and clear procedures for considering appeals and ethical complaints).
  • Retractions and corrections (a clear procedure for retractions, corrections, and expressions of concern).

WAME (World Association of Medical Editors – Principles for Editors across all sciences):

  • Editorial independence (editorial decisions are made without pressure from sponsors, institutions, or commercial interests).
  • Conflicts of interest (all authors, reviewers, and editors are obliged to declare them).
  • Peer review (ensuring objective, fair, and timely expert evaluation).
  • Funding transparency (disclosure of information regarding grants, sponsors, and research funding sources).
  • Support for young researchers (encouraging publications by researchers at the early stages of their careers).

DORA (San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment – Principles of Fair Research Assessment):

  • Not being limited to bibliometric indicators (Impact Factor, h-index), but evaluating research based on its quality, novelty, and contribution to science.
  • Recognising various types of research results including software, data, algorithms, and technical solutions not just articles.
  • Treating interdisciplinary research as equal to classic publications.
  • Encouraging open science (supporting the publication of preprints and providing open access to data and code).

ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors – General Principles for all sciences):

  • Authorship criteria. Only those who have made a significant contribution to the work are considered authors.
  • Research ethics. Compliance with norms regarding data handling, human participants, and experimentation.
  • Data openness. Encouraging authors to preserve and provide access to research data.

Other modern principles (Open Science, Plan S, FAIR Data):

  • Open access (promoting open access to scientific results).
  • FAIR Principles for data (ensuring data is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable).
  • Plan S (supporting the policy of publishing in open-access journals and repositories).

Ethical use of AI (maintaining transparency and responsibility when applying Artificial Intelligence in research).

 

Archiving and Long-Term Open Access Policy

The Editorial Board of the scientific journal adheres to the Open Access policy. All articles are made available permanently and free of charge immediately upon the publication of an issue. This complies with the definition of open access as established by the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI). The journal's licensing policy is compatible with the vast majority of open access and material archiving policies. The journal ensures long-term digital preservation and free access to all published materials, adhering to the principles of open access and academic integrity in scientific publishing through the following tools:

  • Repositories

Full-text access in real-time to all journal publications is provided through the Archives section on the official journal website. The archive contains all issues and individual articles without storage duration limits. Furthermore the journal stores its metadata and full-text articles in the Institutional Repository. To ensure protection against data loss, the journal's electronic archive is submitted for preservation to the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine (National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine).

  • Technical measures

All journal materials are archived in stable electronic formats that ensure their future accessibility, reproducibility, and correct citation:

  • Metadata and full-text publications are prepared for indexing in national and international information and scientometric systems.
  • The journal performs regular backups of its issues and monitors technological developments to prevent issues related to format conversion or obsolete software.

All journal materials are archived in stable electronic formats that ensure their future accessibility, reproducibility, and correct citation. Metadata and full texts of publications can be indexed in national and international information and scientometric systems. The journal performs regular backups of its issues and monitors technological aspects to prevent potential issues related to format conversion or obsolete software.

  • Guarantees of accessibility

The journal utilizes sustainable file formats (PDF) to ensure the readability of scientific content. A DOI is assigned to every document, guaranteeing its findability and permanent location.The journal adheres to OpenAIRE standards to facilitate indexing.

Journal materials hosted in specialised databases (the journal website, Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, etc.) are available free of charge.

 

Open Access Policy and Terms of Use of Copyrighted Works

The journal's Open Access Editorial Policy is developed based on the recommendations and standards of the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI).

The journal utilises the concept of "open access" as defined in the official documents of the Budapest Open Access Initiative.

By "open access" to peer-reviewed scientific literature, we mean its free availability on the public internet, permitting any users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of these articles, crawl them for indexing, pass them as data to software, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than those inseparable from gaining access to the internet itself. The only constraint on reproduction and distribution, and the only role for copyright in this domain, is to give authors control over the integrity of their work and the right to be properly acknowledged and cited.

The journal’s Editorial Board upholds the principles and values of open science and regards open scientific (research) data as a vital component in ensuring the transparency and reproducibility of scientific research. In its work, the Editorial Board is guided by the FAIR principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, Reusability), which ensure the discoverability, accessibility, interoperability and reusability of data ("The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship").

FAIR Principles: Findable. Research materials must be hosted in a reliable repository and have a permanent identifier (DOI) that allows them to be uniquely identified and cited. Accessible. Data must be accessible via standardised access mechanisms. If there are restrictions (ethical, legal, contractual), authors must clearly state them. Interoperable. Where possible, data should be presented in open or widely used formats that allow for their use in different research environments. Reusable. Data must be accompanied by sufficient description (metadata) so that other researchers can understand the context of their creation and use them correctly.

The publication operates under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC-BY). This allows users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, cite, or link to the full text of the articles in this journal.

The journal provides immediate open access to all published materials, making research results freely available to the public and supporting a greater global exchange of knowledge. This means the following: every internet user has free and unrestricted access to the full text of articles published in the journal; manuscripts are freely available without subscription or financial barriers; immediately upon publication, all materials are available online (without an embargo period).

The publisher allows the author to preserve (lodge) the final version of the article in an institutional or subject-specific repository, where it is available as open access, thereby ensuring maximum visibility and impact for the publication.

Authors whose articles are published in open access retain all copyrights and grant the journal the right of first publication for original scientific articles containing the results of experimental and theoretical research that are not under consideration for publication in other editions.

The author warrants that the submitted material:

  • Does not infringe upon the copyrights of other individuals or organisations.
  • Has not been previously published by other publishers and has not been submitted for publication in other editions.

The rights granted by the author to the Editorial Board of the journal include, in particular, the rights to:

  • Publish the article in Ukrainian or English and distribute its printed version.
  • Translate the article into English (for articles in Ukrainian) and distribute the printed version of the translation.
  • Distribute the electronic version of the article, as well as the electronic version of the English translation (for articles in Ukrainian), through any electronic means (hosting on the official website of the journal, in electronic databases, repositories, etc.).

The author retains the right, without prior approval from the Editorial Board and founders, to:

  • Use the article materials in whole or in part for educational purposes.
  • Use the article materials in whole or in part for writing their own dissertations (theses).
  • Use the article materials to prepare abstracts, conference reports, and oral presentations.
  • In all cases, providing a bibliographic citation to the article or a hyperlink to its electronic copy on the journal's official website is mandatory.

Open access articles

Open access articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license. This license allows others to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation.