The Nations International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (NIJMS) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal published by Nations University, Guyana. The journal is committed to upholding high standards of academic integrity, transparency, and ethical publishing practices.

Open Access and Article Processing Charges

NIJMS operates under a full open-access model. All published articles are made freely available online immediately upon publication, without subscription or access restrictions.

NIJMS does not charge any Article Processing Charges (APCs). There are no fees for manuscript submission, peer review, or publication.

This policy ensures equitable access to knowledge and supports the global dissemination of research without financial barriers.

Copyright and Licensing

Authors retain the copyright of their published work. By submitting to NIJMS, authors grant the journal a non-exclusive license to publish and distribute the work.

All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided appropriate credit is given to the original author(s).

Scope and Focus

NIJMS publishes original research articles and review papers across a broad range of disciplines, including business, education, social sciences, science, law, and the humanities.

The journal prioritises research that demonstrates methodological rigor, critical analysis, and relevance to practice and policy, particularly within Caribbean and comparable global contexts.

Manuscript Submission

Manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the journal’s online submission system.

Authors are required to:

• Ensure that submissions are original and not under consideration elsewhere
• Follow the journal’s formatting and submission guidelines
• Provide accurate authorship attribution
• Disclose any conflicts of interest
• Adhere to ethical research practices, including the responsible use of artificial intelligence

Peer Review Process

All manuscripts undergo an initial editorial screening to assess relevance, originality, and alignment with the journal’s scope.

Submissions that pass this stage are evaluated through a double-blind peer review process, in which both authors and reviewers remain anonymous.

Reviewers assess manuscripts based on:

• Originality and contribution to the field
• Methodological rigor
• Clarity and organisation
• Relevance and significance

Editorial decisions (acceptance, revision, or rejection) are made based on reviewers’ recommendations.

Editorial Independence and Conflict of Interest

NIJMS maintains full editorial independence. All editorial decisions are based solely on the academic merit and quality of submissions.

Authors, reviewers, and editors are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

Members of the editorial team may submit manuscripts to the journal; however, they are excluded from the peer review and editorial decision-making process for their submissions.

Publication Ethics and Misconduct

NIJMS adheres to established standards of publication ethics and expects all participants in the publication process to uphold these principles.

The following practices are strictly prohibited:

• Plagiarism
• Data fabrication or falsification
• Duplicate or redundant publication
• Misrepresentation of authorship

All allegations of misconduct are investigated in accordance with recognised ethical guidelines. Appropriate actions, including correction or retraction, will be taken where necessary.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

Authors may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support aspects of writing or analysis; however:

• The use of AI tools must be clearly disclosed in the manuscript
• AI tools cannot be listed as authors
• Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of their work

Retractions and Corrections

NIJMS may issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions where significant errors or ethical issues are identified.

All such actions are conducted transparently and are clearly indicated in the published record.

Data Availability and Reproducibility

Authors are encouraged to make underlying data, materials, and methods available where possible to support transparency and reproducibility.

Where applicable, datasets and code should be deposited in appropriate repositories and referenced within the manuscript.

Archiving and Digital Preservation

NIJMS ensures the long-term preservation of its content through recognised digital archiving systems and institutional repositories.

All published articles are assigned persistent identifiers (e.g., DOIs) to support reliable citation and access.

Complaints and Appeals

NIJMS provides a formal mechanism for handling complaints related to editorial processes, peer review, or publication ethics.

Complaints must be submitted in writing with sufficient detail. All complaints are:

• Acknowledged promptly
• Investigated impartially
• Resolved within a reasonable timeframe

An appeals process is available if the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome.

Privacy Statement

NIJMS is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of authors, reviewers, and readers.

Personal information collected during the submission and publication process is used solely for editorial and publication purposes and is not shared with third parties without consent, except where required by law.

Appropriate technical and organisational measures are in place to safeguard personal data.