Complaints and Retraction

The Journal of Global Higher Education (JGHE) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. This policy outlines the procedures for handling complaints about published content and the circumstances under which published articles may be retracted or corrected.

We believe that the scholarly record must be preserved with integrity, and we take our responsibility as custodians of the research record seriously. This policy aims to ensure transparency, fairness, and consistency in addressing concerns about published content. We base this on the principles observed in the Concordat to Research Integrity and the COPE guidelines on retraction. 

Prevention Measures

The Journal of Global Higher Education implements the following measures to minimize the need for retractions & corrections:

  • Clear author guidelines regarding ethical standards
  • Rigorous peer review process
  • Declaration of conflicts of interest
  • Clear authorship criteria
  • Regular training for editors and reviewers

Complaints Process

Complaints may be made regarding:

  • Factual inaccuracies in published content
  • Ethical concerns including plagiarism, duplicate publication, false claims of authorship (e.g. ‘gift’ or paid authorship), or exploitative practice during the writing of the paper
  • Research misconduct 
    • Breaching legal, ethical and professional requirements needed for research in specific contexts 
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest that would have unduly affected the work or recommendations by peer reviewers
  • Copyright infringement
  • Methodological flaws or misrepresentation of data 
    • Making up data or results, or other aspect of the research such as patient consent (fabrication);
    • Manipulating and/or selecting research processes, materials, equipment, data etc. to present a false impression or outcome (falsification);
  • Editorial process concerns

How to Submit a Complaint

All complaints should be submitted in writing to the Editors at globalhigheredjournal@gmail.com. 

Complaints should include:

  • Full bibliographic details of the article in question
  • Detailed description of the concerns
  • Supporting evidence where applicable
  • Contact information of the complainant
  • Disclosure of any competing interests

Anonymous complaints will be considered at the discretion of the editorial team, particularly if they raise serious concerns with substantial supporting evidence.

Complaint Handling Process

  1. Initial assessment: The Editor-in-Charge will acknowledge receipt of complaints within 10 working days and conduct an initial assessment to determine if the complaint merits further investigation.
  2. Investigation: If the complaint warrants further investigation, the Editor-in-Charge will:
    • Inform relevant parties (authors, reviewers, editorial board members as appropriate)
    • Request responses from involved parties
    • Consult with editorial board members or independent experts as needed
    • Collect and evaluate relevant evidence
  3. Resolution: Following investigation, the Editor-in-Charge will determine appropriate action, which may include:
    • Dismissal of the complaint if unfounded. 
    • Publication of a correction, expression of concern, or retraction (see below). 
    • Changes to journal policies or procedures. 
    • Notification to authors' institutions, funding bodies, or other relevant organizations
  4. Communication: The complainant will be informed of the outcome, although confidential details regarding the investigation may not be disclosed.

All complaints will be handled with appropriate confidentiality, within a 28 day period. 

Corrections and Expressions of Concern

Corrections

For minor errors that do not affect the integrity of the article or the author's conclusions, the journal may publish a correction notice. Corrections will:

  • Clearly state the error and provide the correct information
  • Be linked to the original article
  • Be indexed to ensure proper citation

Expressions of Concern

In cases where:

  • There is inconclusive evidence of research misconduct
  • There is evidence that findings are unreliable but the authors' institution refuses to investigate
  • An investigation is underway but will not be completed for a significant time
  • The main findings of the work are still reliable 

The journal may issue an Expression of Concern. This will alert readers to potential problems while maintaining fairness to the authors.

Retraction Policy

Articles may be retracted from the Journal of Global Higher Education on the following grounds:

  • Clear evidence of unreliable findings due to misconduct (e.g., data fabrication) or honest error
  • Plagiarism or other copyright infringement
  • Redundant publication (publication of substantially overlapping material without proper cross-referencing or permission)
  • Unethical research
  • Undisclosed significant conflicts of interest
  • Inappropriate authorship (e.g., guest, gift, or ghost authorship)
  • Manipulation of the peer review process
  • Misuse of AI (see AI policy)

Retraction Process

Notification, investigation & decision as above

  1. Retraction notice: If retraction is deemed necessary, a retraction notice will be published that:
    • Is clearly identifiable as a retraction
    • Is linked to the retracted article & identifies the retracted article (title, authors, DOI)
    • States the reason for retraction
    • Distinguishes between misconduct and error
    • Avoids potentially defamatory statements
  2. Article status: The retracted article will:
    • Remain in the public domain
    • Be clearly marked as "RETRACTED" in the title and abstract
    • Include a link to the retraction notice
    • Be flagged as retracted in bibliographic databases and indexing services

The journal will make reasonable efforts to ensure that all relevant parties (databases, abstracting services, readers) are informed of the retraction.

Appeals Process

Authors who wish to appeal decisions regarding corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions may submit a written appeal to the Editor-in-Chief within 30 days of notification of the decision. Appeals should include:

  • Clear grounds for the appeal
  • Evidence supporting the appeal

The appeal will be considered by an ad hoc Appeals Committee consisting of editorial board members not involved in the original decision. The decision of the Appeals Committee will be final.

Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually by the editorial board to ensure it remains effective and aligned with best practices in scholarly publishing.

References

COPE Council. COPE Guidelines: Retraction Guidelines. (2019). https://doi.org/10.24318/cope.2019.1.4 

UK Research Integrity Office. (n.d.) What is research misconduct? https://ukrio.org/research-integrity/what-is-research-misconduct/ 

This policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure its relevance. Feedback and suggestions from the academic community are welcome and can be directed to the editorial board.​

Version 1, 2025.