Wah Academia (SMC-Private) Limited

Wah Academia (SMC-Private) Limited is an independent academic publishing organization committed to the advancement of scholarly knowledge through ethical, transparent, and rigorous publishing practices. These editorial and publishing policies apply to all journals published under Wah Academia and are designed in accordance with the principles and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

Editorial Independence

Wah Academia upholds full editorial independence for all its journals. Editorial decisions are made solely by the respective Editors-in-Chief and editorial boards based on scholarly merit, originality, methodological rigor, and relevance to the journal’s scope. Commercial interests, sponsorship, or institutional affiliations do not influence editorial decisions.

Peer Review Process

All manuscripts submitted to Wah Academia journals undergo a fair, unbiased, and confidential peer review process. The specific model of peer review (single-blind, double-blind, or open review) is determined by each journal and clearly stated on the journal’s website.

Editors ensure that:
• Reviewers are selected based on subject expertise
• Conflicts of interest are identified and managed
• Reviews are conducted objectively and respectfully
• Editorial decisions are communicated clearly and transparently

Research Ethics and Integrity

Wah Academia requires all published research to comply with internationally recognized ethical standards. Journals must enforce policies related to:
• Human and animal research ethics
• Informed consent and participant confidentiality
• Data integrity and responsible data sharing
• Authorship transparency and contributor responsibility

Research misconduct, including fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, duplicate publication, and unethical research practices, is not tolerated.

Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship across all Wah Academia journals is defined in accordance with ICMJE criteria. All listed authors must have made substantial contributions to the work and must approve the final version of the manuscript.

Journals must require:
• Clear authorship contribution statements
• Disclosure of any changes in authorship prior to publication
• Acknowledgment of contributors who do not meet authorship criteria

Conflicts of Interest and Funding Disclosure

All participants in the publishing process—including authors, reviewers, and editors—must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence the work.

Authors are required to:
• Declare all sources of funding
• Disclose potential conflicts of interest
• State the role of funders in study design, data collection, analysis, and publication

Data Sharing and Transparency

Wah Academia supports responsible data sharing and transparency in research reporting. All journals must require a Data Availability Statement for research articles, in alignment with ICMJE recommendations, while respecting ethical, legal, and privacy constraints.

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

Wah Academia journals follow COPE guidelines for addressing post-publication issues. When errors or ethical concerns are identified, journals will issue corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern as appropriate to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

Open Access and Copyright

Each Wah Academia journals clearly states its access model, copyright policy, and licensing terms on its website. Authors are informed of their rights regarding reuse, archiving, and distribution of their work. Any article processing charges (APCs), where applicable, are transparently disclosed.

Advertising and Commercial Policy

Advertising, sponsorship, or commercial content, where permitted, must not compromise editorial integrity. Editorial decisions are entirely independent of advertising or commercial considerations.

Complaints and Appeals

Wah Academia provides clear procedures for handling complaints and appeals related to editorial decisions, peer review, and ethical concerns. All complaints are addressed in a fair, timely, and transparent manner, following COPE guidance.

Compliance and Oversight

Wah Academia regularly reviews and updates its editorial and publishing policies to ensure continued compliance with international best practices, indexing requirements, and ethical standards.