Peer-Review Process

The journal "Educational Challenges" employs a double-blind peer review system, ensuring the mutual anonymity of authors and reviewers: reviewers do not have access to the authors' identities, and authors are unaware of the reviewers' identities. This procedure is designed to uphold objectivity in expert evaluation and to maintain the journal's high scientific, theoretical, and practical standards.

All manuscripts submitted to the journal undergo an initial technical check, during which the completeness of the submission, proper formatting, and compliance with the Author Guidelines on the journal's website are verified.

Following the technical review, manuscripts are assessed by the Editor-in-Chief or an Associate Editor to determine their suitability for the journal in terms of:

• alignment with the journal's scope;
• adherence to principles of academic integrity and ethical standards;
• overall scientific quality and conformity with editorial requirements.

Manuscripts that fail to meet these basic standards may be rejected at this stage without further peer review.

Manuscripts passing the initial editorial assessment are assigned to two independent reviewers with expertise in the relevant field. Reviewers are selected from the journal's reviewer database based on their academic qualifications, research experience, and relevant publications (preferably within the last five years).

The Editor-in-Chief or an Associate Editor makes the final decision regarding reviewer assignment.

Peer review focuses on the scientific quality of the manuscript, including:

• originality and novelty of the research;
• relevance and significance of the topic to the field;
• appropriateness and rigor of the methodology;
• clarity, coherence, and logical structure of the presentation;
• reliability of results and validity of conclusions.

Reviewers also consider the theoretical and practical value of the research, the accuracy of references, adherence to ethical standards, and, where applicable, the correctness of any calculations, figures, or tables. A critical aspect of the evaluation is the reviewer's assessment of the author's contribution to addressing the research problem.

Based on the peer review, reviewers may recommend:

• acceptance without revision;
• acceptance after minor revisions;
• reconsideration after major revisions;
• rejection.

When a manuscript is rejected, reviewers are required to provide a rationale. Constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement are strongly encouraged.

Reviewers are typically given 4–6 weeks to complete their evaluation. Extensions may be granted if necessary, in consultation with the editorial office.

On average, the period from manuscript submission to editorial decision is approximately six weeks, including initial assessment, peer review by two reviewers, and, if applicable, author revisions.

If revisions are required, authors receive reviewers' comments and suggestions. Revised manuscripts should be submitted along with a response letter addressing the reviewers' feedback. Where necessary, the revised manuscript may be returned to the original reviewers for a second round of evaluation.

After peer review and any necessary revisions, the Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editor makes the final decision regarding publication. Authors receive copies of the peer reviews (with reviewers' identities anonymized) or a detailed explanation of the decision to reject the manuscript.

Accepted manuscripts proceed to the production process, including scientific and linguistic editing, formatting, and final layout. Authors receive proofs (page proofs) for final review and approval prior to publication.

Published articles are made freely accessible on the journal's website and other platforms under the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Further information on copyright and licensing is available in the "For Authors – Copyright and Licensing" section.

"Educational Challenges" is published biannually, in April and October. Each issue is officially closed in these months.

However, the journal follows a continuous publication model: articles may be published online as soon as they are accepted and ready, without waiting for the complete issue to be finalized. Once an issue is officially closed, articles are formally assigned to it.