Competing Interests

The Journal requires the disclosure of financial and non-financial competing interests so that Authors, Reviewers, Editors, Guest Editors, Editorial Board members, Student Advisory Board members, and Readers can assess potential sources of bias. The Journal operates under the governance of Form Quantum, within the non-commercial portfolio of the InnoQlar Group, which applies this framework to protect editorial independence, research integrity, and transparency. The Journal accepts Authors and contributions from academic, not-for-profit, public, and commercial contexts, and holds every submission and every participant in its editorial processes to the same requirements for disclosure, editorial independence, quality, and integrity.

A competing interest is a financial, professional, personal, institutional, academic, organisational, or other interest that could directly affect, or could reasonably be perceived to affect, the objectivity, integrity, independence, or value of a publication, including the judgement of Authors, Editors, Guest Editors, Editorial Board members, Student Advisory Board members, or Peer Reviewers.

Financial competing interests include:

• Funding: research funding or other financial support, including salaries, equipment, materials, or other expenses, from an organisation that may benefit or be adversely affected by the publication. Any role played by the funder in the conception, design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript is disclosed alongside the funding itself.
• Employment: current, recent, or anticipated employment with an organisation that may benefit or be adversely affected by the publication.
• Financial interests: shares, securities, consultancy fees, honoraria, reimbursements, or other financial relationships with organisations that may be affected by publication.
• Intellectual property: patents or patent applications held by an Author or their institution where the value or relevance of the intellectual property may be affected by the publication.

Authors, Editors, and Reviewers apply reasonable judgement when determining whether a financial interest should be declared. Disclosure is encouraged wherever there is uncertainty, so the Journal can independently assess the relevance of the interest.

Diversified investments, such as broadly held mutual funds or equivalent arrangements, are ordinarily excluded from this definition unless specific circumstances make the investment directly relevant to the work.

Non-financial competing interests are personal, professional, institutional, academic, organisational, or other relationships that could influence, or could reasonably be perceived to influence, the publication process, including:

• Unpaid membership or leadership of governmental, professional, charitable, or non-governmental organisations;
• Unpaid membership or roles within advocacy or lobbying organisations;
• Unpaid advisory or consultancy positions;
• Professional relationships with organisations or individuals directly connected to the work;
• Expert witness or similar advisory activities;
• Personal or professional relationships with Authors, Editors, Guest Editors, Reviewers, or Student Advisory Board members; and
• Previous collaboration, shared institutional affiliation, or other circumstances that could reasonably affect editorial independence.

Authors disclose relevant competing interests during submission through the Journal's manuscript management system. The corresponding Author submits this declaration on behalf of all Authors and is responsible for its accuracy and completeness.

The published article includes a competing interests statement, confirming either that competing interests exist and describing them, or that none are present. Where a confidentiality obligation limits disclosure, Authors identify the existence of that restriction and provide the fullest disclosure the obligation permits.

The Journal may request further information where a declared interest requires clarification. A declared interest does not prevent publication on its own; the Journal determines whether the interest can be disclosed and managed while the integrity and independence of the editorial process are maintained.

Publication or dissemination of research as a pre-print on an external platform does not, on its own, constitute a competing interest. The Journal accepts manuscripts that have previously appeared as pre-prints, and appropriate derivative works, provided the submission satisfies the Journal's Editorial Policy, originality requirements, disclosure requirements, and any applicable licensing or rights conditions.

Authors disclose relevant prior dissemination where the Journal's submission procedures require it, and keep the relationship between a pre-print, a derivative work, and the submitted manuscript transparent. A pre-print does not remove the obligation to declare any actual, potential, or perceived competing interest associated with the research or its publication.

Peer Reviewers disclose any financial, professional, personal, institutional, or other interest that could affect, or could reasonably be perceived to affect, their assessment of a manuscript, and decline to participate where a significant conflict prevents an independent and objective assessment.

Peer Reviewers conduct reviews personally. A Reviewer does not hand off, delegate, or otherwise transfer a manuscript or review responsibility to a student, research staff member, administrative staff member, colleague, or other individual, within or outside their institution, without the Journal's prior approval, regardless of that individual's formal affiliation with the Reviewer or their institution. This requirement protects confidential manuscript information, preserves the integrity and independence of peer review, keeps the Journal informed of who holds access to submitted material, and maintains transparency in the management of competing interests. Where assistance with a review is appropriate, the Reviewer seeks the Journal's permission and identifies the proposed individual before any manuscript material is shared.

A competing interest does not automatically disqualify a Reviewer. The Editor responsible for the manuscript determines whether the declared interest can be managed or whether another Reviewer is appointed.

Editors identify and manage any interest that could influence, or could reasonably be perceived to influence, their editorial decisions, and do not ordinarily handle a submission where they hold a significant competing interest. Where a relevant interest is identified, the Journal assigns the manuscript to another appropriately independent Editor, and reserves the right to reassign Editors or Peer Reviewers where necessary to protect editorial independence, avoid an actual or perceived conflict, or prevent disruption or delay to the publication process.

Guest Editors and Editorial Board members are held to the same competing interests requirements as other members of the editorial team. They declare any relevant financial or non-financial interest and do not handle a manuscript where their independence may reasonably be questioned. Where a Guest Editor or Editorial Board member is an Author of a submitted manuscript, or otherwise holds a relevant competing interest, the Journal assigns responsibility for the manuscript to another appropriately independent Editor, and the manuscript undergoes the same triage, quality-control, scope assessment, and peer-review process applicable to other submissions.

Student Advisory Board members disclose any financial, professional, academic, personal, institutional, or other interest that could influence, or could reasonably be perceived to influence, their participation in Journal activities, recommendations, advisory work, or other engagement with the Journal. They maintain the confidentiality of information provided to them through their role and do not use their position to obtain an inappropriate editorial, publication, academic, or professional advantage for themselves or others. Where a member holds a relevant competing interest, the Journal may exclude them from the relevant discussion, recommendation, or activity and appoint an alternative participant.

Where a Researcher, Editor, Peer Reviewer, Guest Editor, Editorial Board member, Student Advisory Board member, or other individual has been invited, encouraged, or authorised to act on behalf of the Journal, or to contribute or publish through the Journal, communications concerning the Journal's processes are conducted with the named individuals who have been identified and have expressly agreed to participate. An individual does not represent another person's agreement to participate, assume another person's role, communicate decisions on another person's behalf without appropriate authority, or otherwise create uncertainty regarding who is participating in the Journal's process.

Where a concern, discrepancy, competing interest, unauthorised representation, or other conflict arises regarding communications or participation, the Journal reserves the right to pause the relevant process while the circumstances are reviewed and, where necessary, investigated. Authors should anticipate that these safeguards may delay the expected editorial, peer-review, or publication timeline while the matter is resolved.

The Journal triages and processes submissions where no actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest prevents independent editorial assessment. Every submission remains subject to the Journal's Editorial Policy, including initial quality control, scope assessment, and editorial suitability checks.

Where a competing interest or conflict is identified at any stage, the Journal may pause, reassign, or otherwise modify the editorial handling arrangements to keep the submission's assessment independent, reassigning Editors or Peer Reviewers where appropriate to limit disruption or delay while protecting Authors' interests and the integrity of the publication process. Where an investigation or additional assessment is necessary, the Journal may temporarily suspend the relevant process; the Journal resolves such matters as efficiently as possible, though Authors should anticipate an effect on the expected publication timeline.

Participation from, or a competing interest connected to, a commercial organisation does not on its own prevent consideration or publication. The Journal requires such interests to be transparently declared and appropriately assessed, so that editorial decisions remain grounded in the quality, relevance, integrity, and scholarly merit of the work. The Journal takes proportionate measures, including additional review, reassignment of Editors or Reviewers, suspension of a process, or discontinuation of consideration, where a competing interest, conflict, undisclosed relationship, unauthorised participation, or other circumstance may compromise, or reasonably appear to compromise, the integrity and transparency of the Journal's processes.