1. Purpose
This document defines, in formal and internationally recognizable terms, the responsibilities, authority, and expected deliverables of two senior editorial roles: the Global Chief Editor (GCE) and the Honorary Global Research Chief Editor (HGRCE). The aim is to establish a stable governance pattern that protects editorial independence, reinforces research integrity, and strengthens the journal’s capacity to attract high-quality contributions from the international community.
2. Guiding Principles and International Good Practice
The following principles underpin both roles and should be reflected in all editorial procedures and communications:
Editorial independence and freedom in content selection, protected by clear decision rights and conflict-resolution mechanisms.
Integrity of the peer-review process, including confidentiality, impartiality, and rigorous assessment of scholarly merit.
Transparency in editorial policies (scope, review model, data and materials expectations, corrections/retractions, and appeals).
Active management of conflicts of interest (COI) and recusal from decisions where a conflict exists.
Proportionate and timely handling of suspected misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, redundant publication).
Respectful, constructive, and non-discriminatory editorial communications with authors, reviewers, and readers.
3. Global Chief Editor (GCE)
The Global Chief Editor functions as the Editor-in-Chief in international terminology. The GCE holds primary editorial authority and is ultimately accountable for the quality, ethical soundness, and coherence of everything published in the journal.
3.1 Mandate and Decision Rights
The GCE has final decision authority on acceptance, rejection, corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions, and is empowered to design and enforce the journal’s editorial policies. Where operational roles exist (Managing Editor, Section Editors, Guest Editors), the GCE delegates workflows while retaining oversight and the right to intervene when needed.
3.2 Core Responsibilities
The GCE is expected to:
Define and periodically refine the journal’s aims, scope, and thematic priorities across volumes and special issues.
Set and enforce peer-review standards (reviewer selection criteria, review timelines, reviewer guidance, and decision consistency).
Appoint and manage the Editorial Board, including Section Editors, and ensure disciplinary and geographic diversity.
Maintain editorial independence and ensure decisions are based on scholarly merit, not on external pressures or non-scholarly interests.
Oversee research integrity and publication ethics (COI management, misconduct allegations, corrections, retractions, and appeals).
Approve the final content of each issue/volume and ensure timely publication according to the journal calendar.
Represent the journal publicly (editorials, calls for papers, partnerships), safeguarding its reputation and scholarly identity.
Monitor performance indicators (submission growth, decision times, review completion rates, readership/usage signals) and implement improvements.
3.3 Ethics and Integrity Safeguards
The GCE ensures that every manuscript is handled with integrity, including robust COI declarations and recusals. If the GCE is an author on a submitted manuscript, editorial handling must be reassigned to an independent editor, and the GCE must not participate in decisions for that manuscript.
3.4 Expected Deliverables
Typical annual deliverables include:
An editorial report summarizing volume performance, integrity cases handled, and strategic improvements.
A forward plan of thematic priorities and invited content for upcoming volumes.
A periodic review of editorial policies and author/reviewer guidance, updated as needed.
4. Honorary Global Research Chief Editor (HGRCE)
The Honorary Global Research Chief Editor is a senior, internationally oriented scholarly role intended to strengthen research vision, thematic leadership, and global engagement. The HGRCE is primarily advisory and strategic rather than operational, and therefore does not normally exercise day-to-day acceptance authority.
4.1 Mandate
The HGRCE supports the journal’s research agenda by identifying frontier topics, facilitating high-impact invited contributions, and connecting the journal to leading researchers and networks worldwide. This role is designed to catalyze substantive scholarly contributions while preserving the independence of editorial decisions under the GCE.
4.2 Core Responsibilities
The HGRCE is expected to:
Propose an evidence-informed research roadmap for future volumes (e.g., state-of-the-art review themes, emerging methods, and cross-disciplinary bridges).
Lead international outreach to recruit recognized experts for invited reviews, perspectives, or special-topic clusters.
Advise on the scientific rigor and relevance of proposed special issues, including recommended guest editors and reviewer pools.
Promote reproducibility-oriented practices (where appropriate): clear methods reporting, data/code availability expectations, and transparent limitations.
Mentor early-career scholars by promoting high-quality submissions and constructive scholarly dialogue, consistent with journal standards.
Support visibility by participating in conferences, scholarly networks, and strategic partnerships that expand the journal’s contributor base.
4.3 Boundaries, Independence, and COI Management
Because the title includes ‘Honorary’, it must not be interpreted as a ceremonial endorsement of specific manuscripts or authors. If the HGRCE chooses to act as a Handling Editor for specific submissions, the same COI, confidentiality, and recusal rules apply. In such cases, the GCE retains the right to review process integrity and to reassign handling if independence could be perceived as compromised.
4.4 Expected Deliverables
Typical deliverables include:
A yearly ‘Research Directions’ note outlining priority themes for upcoming volumes.
A curated shortlist of invited contributors and proposed special-topic initiatives.
Recommendations for strengthening the reviewer community (global coverage, expertise balance, and review quality).
5. Coordination Model (Operational Pattern)
To ensure a clear and repeatable pattern, the following coordination rules are recommended:
Strategy: HGRCE proposes research directions; GCE validates alignment with journal scope and feasibility.
Operations: GCE leads editorial operations and final decisions; HGRCE supports outreach and thematic development.
Quality control: GCE owns acceptance standards and integrity decisions; HGRCE provides scientific counsel when requested.
Escalation: Any ethical concern, author appeal, or allegation of misconduct is escalated to the GCE for formal handling.
Transparency: Both roles publish short annual statements (Editorial Report; Research Directions) to reinforce trust and accountability.
6. Appointment, Term, and Succession (Recommended)
To align with international governance practice, appointments should be documented in writing and include: term length, renewal criteria, authority boundaries, performance indicators, and a conflict-resolution mechanism. The GCE is typically appointed for a fixed renewable term (e.g., 3–5 years). The HGRCE may be appointed for a longer honorary term (e.g., 5 years) subject to periodic review of scholarly engagement and deliverables.
7. Selected International References (for alignment)
The following widely used references can guide policy alignment and good practice:
Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.
International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Recommendations – Roles and Responsibilities; Journal Owners and Editorial Freedom.
Council of Science Editors (CSE). Editor Roles and Responsibilities (White Paper guidance).
Springer Nature / Wiley editorial codes of conduct (editorial integrity, COI, and ethics expectations).
PKP School (Public Knowledge Project). Editorial titles and positions (context on honorary and advisory roles).