Ethical Oversight Policy

Civil Engineering Science and Technology (CEST) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical publishing through a transparent, independent, and accountable editorial process. The journal applies ethical oversight throughout the entire publication lifecycle, from manuscript submission to post-publication management, to ensure the integrity and credibility of the scholarly record. Ethical oversight is an integral part of the journal's editorial governance and supports the consistent implementation of the journal's Publication Ethics and editorial policies.

Scope of Ethical Oversight

The Editorial Office provides ethical oversight for all aspects of scholarly publishing, including but not limited to:

Ethical oversight applies to authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher.

Editorial Responsibility

The Editor-in-Chief has overall responsibility for ensuring that ethical standards are consistently applied throughout the editorial process. The Editor-in-Chief is supported by:

  • Handling Editors;
  • Editorial Board Members;
  • Production Editors; and
  • The Publisher,

who work collaboratively to ensure that editorial decisions are made fairly, objectively, and independently. Where appropriate, external experts or independent reviewers may be consulted to assist in the evaluation of complex ethical matters.

Ethical Assessment

Potential ethical concerns may be identified during:

  • Initial editorial screening;
  • Peer review;
  • Manuscript revision;
  • Production;
  • Post-publication review; or
  • Through reports submitted by readers, reviewers, institutions, or other third parties.

All concerns are evaluated confidentially, objectively, and on a case-by-case basis.

Decision-Making Principles

Ethical decisions are based on:

  • The available evidence.
  • The severity of the concern.
  • International publication ethics standards.
  • The recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
  • The journal's editorial policies.

Editorial decisions are made independently and are not influenced by financial interests, institutional affiliations, nationality, gender, political beliefs, or commercial considerations.

Cooperation with Institutions

Where appropriate, CEST may communicate with:

  • Universities;
  • Research institutions;
  • Funding agencies;
  • Ethics committees;
  • Professional organizations; or
  • Other publishers,

to facilitate the investigation of serious ethical concerns. The journal recognizes that certain investigations may fall within the authority of the authors' affiliated institutions.

Confidentiality

All ethical investigations are conducted with appropriate confidentiality. Information relating to ethical concerns is shared only with individuals directly involved in the editorial assessment or where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

Post-Publication Oversight

Ethical oversight continues after publication. Where new information becomes available, the journal may:

  • Request clarification from the authors;
  • Publish a Correction;
  • Publish an Expression of Concern;
  • Retract an article; or
  • Take other editorial action considered appropriate.

These actions are undertaken to maintain the accuracy and reliability of the published literature.

Continuous Policy Review

Recognizing that scholarly publishing continues to evolve, CEST periodically reviews its editorial policies and ethical procedures to ensure alignment with internationally accepted standards and best practices. Policy updates may be implemented whenever necessary to improve editorial quality, transparency, and publication integrity.

Policy Compliance

By submitting, reviewing, editing, or publishing a manuscript in CEST, all participants agree to comply with the journal's ethical standards and cooperate with any editorial assessment concerning publication ethics. Failure to comply with the journal's ethical requirements may result in editorial action in accordance with the relevant CEST policies.

Editorial Independence

Civil Engineering Science and Technology (CEST) upholds the principle of editorial independence as a fundamental component of responsible scholarly publishing.  The Publisher, Universitas Sains dan Teknologi Komputer (STEKOM University), fully respects the independence of the journal's editorial process and does not interfere with editorial decisions concerning manuscript evaluation, peer review, acceptance, rejection, correction, retraction, or any other publication-related matters. All editorial and ethical decisions are made exclusively by the Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the Handling Editors, Editorial Board, and independent peer reviewers, based solely on:

  • Scientific merit;
  • Originality and scholarly contribution;
  • Methodological rigor;
  • Ethical compliance;
  • Relevance to the journal's aims and scope; and
  • The recommendations of independent peer reviewers.

Editorial decisions are made without discrimination based on the authors' nationality, ethnicity, gender, institutional affiliation, religion, political beliefs, commercial interests, or funding source. Neither financial considerations, sponsorship, advertising, institutional relationships, nor any external influence shall affect the editorial evaluation or publication decision. The Publisher provides administrative, technical, and production support while maintaining the complete editorial autonomy of CEST in accordance with internationally accepted standards of scholarly publishing and the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Publisher Commitment

The Publisher is committed to supporting the Editorial Office by:

  • Safeguarding editorial independence.
  • Providing adequate publishing infrastructure and administrative support.
  • Promoting ethical publishing practices.
  • Maintaining transparency throughout the publication process.
  • Respecting the academic freedom and editorial judgment of the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board.

The Publisher shall not require, influence, or override editorial decisions for financial, institutional, political, or commercial reasons.

Continuous Improvement

CEST is committed to continuously improving its editorial governance, ethical oversight, and publication practices by regularly reviewing its policies to ensure alignment with internationally recognized standards, including the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing, Crossref, and other recognized organizations supporting responsible scholarly communication.  Through this commitment, CEST aims to foster trust, transparency, accountability, and excellence in publishing high-quality civil engineering research for the global scientific community.