Manuscripts accepted by the scientific editor of the Research Journal of Le Cordon Bleu University undergo double-blind peer review as the primary modality to ensure review quality and confidentiality, depending on the type of research.

The journal also offers open peer review as an optional modality. Authors may opt in; reviewers will be informed and may accept or decline. The Editorial Committee reserves the right to determine whether a manuscript is suitable for open review, considering the nature of the content and the reviewers’ profiles.

Reviewers and conflicts of interest

Reviewers are external to the university, recognized experts in their fields, and must have no conflicts of interest with the authors. The review process is conducted confidentially and mediated by the editor. Reviewers receive prior guidance on policies, ethics, and expected conduct. Reviewers are not remunerated.

Authors may suggest potential reviewers in the cover letter; however, the final selection rests with the Editorial Committee.

Editorial process and originality check

Upon receipt, the scientific editor verifies the manuscript’s alignment with the journal’s scope and performs a similarity check using specialized software (e.g., Turnitin/iThenticate), accepting up to 18% overall similarity. Peer review proceeds after the editorial team confirms compliance with the author guidelines.

Authors receive a preliminary decision (proceed to peer review or reject) by email within 30 days of receipt. If rejected, resubmission is not accepted. If minor fixes are required, a 15-day deadline is granted to submit the corrected version.

Peer-review outcome

Each manuscript sent to review is assigned to two specialists under double-blind conditions. Reviewers assess according to the journal’s standards and quality criteria. The review period has a maximum duration of 180 days. The possible decisions are:

• Publishable without changes.
• Publishable with minor revisions.
• Publishable with major revisions (requires resubmission and re-evaluation).
• Not publishable.

Revisions and final decision

After peer review, the editor returns the manuscript with requested changes (minor or major) within 15 days, preserving reviewer anonymity. Authors have 30 days to complete and submit all revisions. Only manuscripts addressing all comments will be accepted. If authors disagree with any change, they may justify it in writing when submitting the revised version; the editor will issue the final decision. Failure to submit within the deadline results in withdrawal from the process.

The manuscript is accepted once it has passed peer review and all required corrections have been completed.

Impartiality, appeals, and ethics

Editors do not make decisions on articles authored by themselves or where close relationships with the authors exist (family members or close colleagues). Any such case is handled under the journal’s standard procedures, and peer review is conducted independently of the editor and their research group.

Authors may file a formal appeal to an editorial decision, provided all journal requirements are met.

Production

Once accepted, the manuscript proceeds to copyediting and layout. After completion, the editor manages the required documentation and metadata for publication, assigning the work a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and recording the publication date.