Conflict of Interest Policy

1. Purpose

 

The Herald of Advanced Information Technology (HAIT) is committed to maintaining transparency, objectivity, and integrity in the publication process. This policy defines how conflicts of interest (COI) are identified, disclosed, and managed in accordance with COPE Core Practices.

2. Definition of Conflict of Interest

 

A conflict of interest occurs when an author, reviewer, or editor has financial, professional, personal, or institutional relationships that could influence—or be perceived to influence—the objectivity of the research or its evaluation.

Conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:

  • financial support, grants, or funding from interested organizations;
  • employment or consultancy relationships;
  • personal or family relationships;
  • academic competition or collaboration;
  • institutional affiliations that may affect neutrality.

3. Responsibilities of Authors

 

Authors must disclose all actual or potential conflicts of interest at the time of manuscript submission. If no conflicts exist, authors must explicitly state this.

Example statement:

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

4. Responsibilities of Reviewers

 

Reviewers must decline to review a manuscript if they have any conflict of interest that could affect their objectivity. Reviewers must also maintain confidentiality and must not use manuscript content for personal advantage.

5. Responsibilities of Editors

 

Editors must avoid handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest. If a conflict exists, editorial responsibility must be delegated to another qualified editor.

Editorial decisions are based solely on academic merit and peer review quality.

6. Management of Conflicts

 

When a conflict of interest is disclosed, the journal may:

  • publish the disclosure statement alongside the article;
  • assign independent reviewers or editors;
  • request additional clarification;
  • reject the manuscript if the conflict compromises integrity.

7. Transparency and Compliance

 

Failure to disclose conflicts of interest may result in rejection, retraction, or further action in accordance with COPE guidelines.