Privacy Policy

Introduction

The International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management (IJCOPE) is an open access, international, and multi-disciplinary journal committed to advancing innovative and impactful education research. This Privacy Policy outlines how IJCOPE collects, uses, stores, and protects personal information provided by users, including authors, reviewers, editors, and website visitors. IJCOPE adheres to the highest standards of data protection, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, including the Information Technology Act, 2000, and other relevant Indian regulations. By engaging with IJCOPE’s services, including accessing our website, submitting manuscripts, or participating in the peer review process, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

1. Information We Collect

• Personal Identifiers: Name, email address, phone number, and postal address provided during manuscript submission, reviewer registration, or other interactions.
• Professional Information: Institutional affiliation, academic qualifications, areas of expertise, and publication history for authors, reviewers, and editorial board members.
• Manuscript-Related Data: Information included in submitted manuscripts, such as author contributions, funding details, and ethical approval statements.
• Website Usage Data: Non-personal information collected through cookies and analytics tools, such as IP addresses, browser type, device information, and pages visited, to improve user experience and website functionality.
• Correspondence: Communications sent to or from IJCOPE, including inquiries, feedback, or complaints.

2. How We Collect Information

• Directly Provided Information: Collected when you submit a manuscript, register as a reviewer, join our mailing list, or contact the editorial office.
• Automated Collection: Website usage data is collected via cookies and analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics) when you visit our website. Users are informed of cookie usage through a consent banner.
• Third-Party Sources: Information may be collected from publicly available sources (e.g., institutional websites) to verify affiliations or qualifications during the editorial process.

3. How We Use Your Information

• Manuscript Processing: Managing submissions, peer review, and publication processes, including communication with authors and reviewers.
• Peer Review: Assigning reviewers and facilitating the double-blind peer review process.
• Editorial Communication: Responding to inquiries, sending updates, or managing appeals and complaints.
• Website Functionality: Improving user experience, analyzing website performance, and ensuring accessibility.
• Archiving and Compliance: Sharing necessary metadata (e.g., author names, affiliations) with digital repositories for long-term archiving.
• Newsletter and Updates: Sending journal-related announcements, such as calls for papers or new issue notifications, to mailing list subscribers.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

• Consent: When you provide personal information voluntarily (e.g., during submission or registration).
• Contractual Necessity: To fulfill obligations related to manuscript processing or peer review agreements.
• Legitimate Interests: For purposes such as improving website functionality, ensuring publication quality, and complying with indexing standards.
• Legal Compliance: To meet requirements under applicable laws, including the Information Technology Act, 2000, and other Indian regulations.

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

• Internal Use: Personal information is shared only with IJCOPE’s editorial team, reviewers, and staff involved in the publication process, under strict confidentiality agreements.
• Third Parties: Limited data (e.g., author names, affiliations) may be shared with trusted third parties, such as digital archiving services (e.g., Crossref) or indexing platforms, to ensure compliance with open access and archiving standards.
• Legal Requirements: IJCOPE may disclose personal information if required by law or to protect the rights, safety, or property of the journal or its users.
• No Commercial Sharing: IJCOPE does not sell, rent, or share personal information for commercial purposes.

6. Data Security

• IJCOPE implements robust technical and organizational measures to protect personal data, including encryption, secure servers, and restricted access to sensitive information.
• Access to personal data is limited to authorized personnel who require it for journal operations.
• Despite our efforts, no online system is completely secure. IJCOPE is not liable for unauthorized access beyond our reasonable control.

7. Data Retention

• Manuscript-Related Data: Personal information associated with submissions (e.g., author and reviewer details) is retained for as long as necessary to complete the publication process and comply with archiving requirements.
• Website Usage Data: Non-personal data (e.g., analytics) is retained for up to 24 months for website improvement purposes.
• Correspondence: Emails and other communications are retained for up to 5 years to address future inquiries or disputes.
• After the retention period, data is securely deleted or anonymized unless required for legal or archiving purposes.

8. Your Rights

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information IJCOPE holds about you.
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your data, subject to legal and archiving obligations.
• Restriction: Request restriction of data processing in certain circumstances.
• Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
• Data Portability: Request a transferable copy of your data in a structured format.
• To exercise these rights, contact editor@ijmat.org with your request. We will respond within 30 days, subject to verification of your identity.

9. Cookies and Tracking

• IJCOPE’s website uses cookies to enhance user experience and analyze site performance. Cookies may collect non-personal data, such as browser type and pages visited.
• Users are informed of cookie usage via a consent banner upon visiting the website. You may manage cookie preferences through your browser settings, though disabling cookies may affect website functionality.
• For details on cookies and tracking, refer to our Cookie Policy page.

10. International Data Transfers

• As an international journal, IJCOPE may transfer personal data across borders (e.g., to reviewers or archiving services) to facilitate its operations. All transfers comply with applicable data protection laws and include safeguards, such as contractual agreements, to ensure data security.
• Authors and reviewers from regions with specific data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR for EU residents) are assured that their data is handled with equivalent protections.

11. Third-Party Links

• IJCOPE’s website may contain links to third-party sites (e.g., Creative Commons). IJCOPE is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. Users should review the privacy policies of any linked websites.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

• IJCOPE reserves the right to update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in legal requirements or journal operations. Updates will be posted on the journal’s website with an updated effective date.
• Continued use of IJCOPE’s services after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

13. Complaints

• If you have concerns about how your data is handled, please contact editor@ijmat.org. IJCOPE will investigate and respond in accordance with COPE guidelines and applicable laws.

14. Governing Law

• This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of India. Any disputes will be resolved through negotiation.

Contact Information

• Email: editor@ijmat.org
• Address: International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management (IJCOPE), EDTECH PUBLISHERS (OPC) PRIVATE LIMITED, 6/48, Near Chrysalis High School, Balaji Layout, Horamavu Agara, Horamavu, Bengaluru, Karnataka, INDIA, PIN:560016

© 2025 International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management (IJCOPE). All rights reserved. Published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
Effective Date: 28th August, 2025