The journal Education in the 21st Century institutes a transparent, rigorous, and jurisprudentially sound mechanism for the adjudication of appeals and grievances. This regulatory framework strictly complies with the COPE Core Practices on Complaints and Appeals.

1. Adjudication of Editorial Appeals

Authors possess the statutory right to appeal a definitive manuscript rejection exclusively if they can provide substantive, empirically verifiable evidence of a procedural irregularity or a profound factual misapprehension during the peer-review arbitration. Mere disagreement with scholarly critique does not constitute valid grounds for an appeal. Formal appeals must be formally lodged with the Editorial Office in writing, accompanied by a comprehensive evidentiary rebuttal. The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with independent members of the Editorial Board not involved in the initial review, retains absolute jurisdiction over the final appellate adjudication.

2. Procedural and Ethical Grievances

Grievances pertaining to administrative malfeasance, egregious procedural delays, or breaches of publication ethics (e.g., reviewer bias, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or breach of confidentiality) must be immediately reported to the Editor-in-Chief. The journal guarantees a confidential, impartial, and exhaustive investigation of all formal complaints, guided by the applicable COPE Flowcharts. Should a complaint implicate the Editor-in-Chief, the investigative mandate shall be delegated to an independent ombudsman or a designated ethics oversight committee within the institutional publisher.