Policy on Guest Editors and Special Issues

1. Purpose

The Global Clinical Engineering Journal (GCEJ) accepts Special Issue (SI) proposals to support high-quality, timely, and relevant scholarly publishing. This policy establishes basic requirements for Guest Editors and Special Issues to ensure transparency, academic integrity, and editorial accountability.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all Special Issue proposals, Guest Editors, Co-Guest Editors, and related editorial communications submitted to or managed by GCEJ.

3. General Principles

GCEJ considers Special Issue proposals based on academic merit, relevance to the journal’s scope, and the credibility of the proposed editorial team. The journal does not accept proposals that cannot be reasonably verified or that raise concerns regarding identity, affiliation, academic standing, or editorial authenticity.

4. Guest Editor Eligibility

A proposed Guest Editor should:

  • Hold a recognized clinical, academic, or professional position relevant to the Special Issue topic, and to the journal’s focus;
  • Demonstrate expertise in the proposed subject area;
  • Be able to provide verifiable institutional affiliation, contact information, and publication record;
  • Have no unresolved ethical, legal, or editorial concerns that may affect the integrity of the Special Issue.

5. Verification Procedure

Before a Special Issue proposal is accepted, GCEJ Editorial Office will conduct a basic verification review of the proposed Guest Editor(s), which may include:

  • Confirmation of full name, academic title, and institutional affiliation;
  • Verification of email address and institutional or professional contact details;
  • Review of publicly available academic profile, publication record, and professional background;
  • Direct communication with the proposed Guest Editor using an official verification email;
  • Additional checks if any information appears incomplete, inconsistent, or suspicious.

If needed, GCEJ may request supporting documents or further confirmation before moving the proposal forward.

6. Proposal Review

All Special Issue proposals will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and/or the editorial office. Acceptance will depend on:

  • Relevance to GCEJ’s aims and scope;
  • Scientific quality and originality of the topic;
  • Credibility of the Guest Editor(s);
  • Feasibility of the proposed timeline and contributor network;
  • Potential impact on the journal’s academic quality and visibility;
  • Availability of Publication schedule.

7. Red Flags and Rejection Criteria

GCEJ may reject or pause a proposal if any of the following are identified:

  • Inability to verify the identity or position of the proposed Guest Editor;
  • Inconsistent or misleading information about affiliation, title, or expertise;
  • Use of non-institutional or suspicious communication channels without adequate explanation;
  • Evidence suggesting impersonation, ghost management, paper mill activity, or other forms of academic fraud;
  • Proposal topics, contributor patterns, or communication behavior that raise integrity concerns;
  • Inavailability of Publication schedule.

8. Responsibilities of Guest Editors

Approved Guest Editors are expected to:

  • Uphold the highest standards of academic ethics and editorial integrity;
  • Avoid any conflict of interest and disclose relevant relationships;
  • Follow GCEJ editorial policies and peer-review procedures;
  • Ensure that invited submissions are handled fairly and independently;
  • Refrain from exerting inappropriate influence on editorial decisions;
  • Asist in promoting the Journal publications;
  • Cooperate fully with verification and quality-control requests from the journal.

9. Editorial Oversight

GCEJ retains full editorial authority over all Special Issues. Final decisions regarding proposal approval, manuscript acceptance, reviewer selection, and publication rest with the journal and are not delegated to Guest Editors.

10. Policy Enforcement

GCEJ may suspend, revise, or withdraw a Special Issue proposal at any stage if concerns arise regarding authenticity, editorial integrity, or compliance with journal policy.

11. Review and Updates

This policy will be reviewed periodically and may be updated to reflect developments in editorial practice, publishing ethics, and journal requirements.

Download Policy on Guest Editors and Special Issues