Higher Education Spiritual Pedagogies (HESP) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. The journal follows the ethical guidelines and best practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to ensure transparency, fairness, originality, and scholarly responsibility in all stages of publication.

HESP publishes original and high-quality scholarly works in the fields of spirituality, pedagogy, Islamic education, educational philosophy, Qur’anic and Hadith studies, character education, and contemporary educational transformation. Authors submitting manuscripts to HESP confirm that their work is original, has not been published previously, and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Authors are also responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts are free from plagiarism, data fabrication, and unethical research practices.

Duties of Editors

The Editor-in-Chief and editorial team are responsible for determining which submitted manuscripts are suitable for publication based on scholarly merit, originality, relevance to the journal’s focus and scope, methodological rigor, and contribution to educational scholarship.

Editors evaluate manuscripts fairly and objectively without discrimination based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, institutional affiliation, or political beliefs. All submitted manuscripts are treated confidentially, and information regarding submissions will not be disclosed to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, editorial advisors, and the publisher.

Editors also ensure that every manuscript undergoes an initial screening process, including plagiarism detection and compliance with journal standards, before being forwarded for peer review.

Duties of Reviewers

HESP applies a Double-Blind Peer Review process in which both reviewers and authors remain anonymous throughout the review process. Reviewers are expected to evaluate manuscripts objectively, constructively, and professionally based on academic quality, originality, clarity, methodological soundness, and relevance to the field.

Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts and should not use unpublished materials for personal research purposes. They are also expected to identify relevant published works not cited by the authors and notify the editors of any substantial similarities or ethical concerns related to the manuscript.

Reviewers who have conflicts of interest or are unable to complete the review within the allocated time should inform the editorial team promptly.

Duties of Authors

Authors are responsible for presenting accurate, original, and ethically conducted research. Manuscripts should contain sufficient detail, appropriate references, and clear explanations to enable replication and scholarly verification where applicable.

Authors must properly acknowledge all sources used in the manuscript and ensure that all citations are accurate and complete. Submitting the same manuscript simultaneously to multiple journals constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is strictly prohibited.

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, implementation, analysis, or interpretation of the study. All co-authors must approve the final version of the manuscript before submission.

Authors are also required to disclose any financial, institutional, or personal conflicts of interest that may influence the research findings or interpretation.

Plagiarism Policy

HESP strongly opposes all forms of plagiarism and academic misconduct. Every manuscript submitted to the journal is screened using plagiarism detection software to ensure originality and academic integrity. Manuscripts containing plagiarism, fabricated data, or unethical content will be rejected immediately.

If plagiarism or publication misconduct is identified after publication, the journal reserves the right to retract or correct the published article in accordance with COPE ethical guidelines.

Ethical Commitment

HESP continuously works to uphold ethical publication practices through collaboration among authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers. The journal is dedicated to fostering responsible, rigorous, and impactful scholarship that contributes positively to the advancement of spirituality, ethics, pedagogy, and higher education studies.