1. Purpose and Scope
This Code of Ethics outlines the ethical principles, standards of conduct, and responsibilities expected from all participants of the International Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation for Society (CITIS), including authors, reviewers, editors, committee members, sponsors, and attendees. CITIS is committed to fostering a respectful, transparent, fair, and academically rigorous environment aligned with internationally recognized ethical practices.
2. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors
2.1 Originality and Integrity
Authors must submit only original work that has not been previously published or concurrently submitted elsewhere. All forms of plagiarism—including verbatim copying, inadequate paraphrasing, data manipulation, duplicate or salami publications—are strictly prohibited.
2.2 Accuracy and Transparency of Data
Research data, methods, and results must be reported truthfully, accurately, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate manipulation. Authors should provide sufficient detail to allow others to replicate and validate the findings.
2.3 Data Availability and Reproducibility
Authors should be prepared to provide raw data, methodological details, analytical codes, or supplementary materials upon request, provided that confidentiality, legal restrictions, and ethical approvals permit.
2.4 Authorship Criteria
Only individuals who have made significant scientific contributions to the research should be listed as authors. All co-authors must approve the submitted version and the version accepted for publication.
2.5 Research Involving Humans, Animals, or Sensitive Data
For studies involving human participants, animal subjects, or sensitive datasets:
Ethics committee / IRB approval must be explicitly stated.
Informed consent must be obtained for human participants.
Personal data must be anonymized and handled according to applicable regulations (e.g., GDPR, national laws).
2.6 Conflicts of Interest
Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence the research or its interpretation.
2.7 Corrections and Retractions
If authors discover errors or inaccuracies after submission or publication, they must promptly notify the editors so that corrections, clarifications, or retractions can be issued as appropriate.
3. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers
3.1 Confidentiality
Manuscripts under review are confidential documents. Reviewers must not share, discuss, or use any information obtained through the review process for personal advantage.
3.2 Objectivity and Fairness
Reviews must be conducted objectively, using constructive, evidence-based feedback. Personal criticism and bias based on nationality, gender, affiliation, or other non-scientific factors are unacceptable.
3.3 Conflict of Interest
Reviewers should decline assignments if they have competing interests (professional, financial, or personal) that may influence their judgment.
3.4 Ethical Oversight
Reviewers should alert editors if they detect possible plagiarism, data manipulation, ethical concerns, or significant similarity with other works.
4. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors and the Scientific Committee
4.1 Fair and Impartial Decision-Making
Editorial and committee decisions must be based solely on the scientific merit, originality, and quality of the submissions, without discrimination.
4.2 Transparency of Review Process
Editors are responsible for ensuring a rigorous, timely, and objective review process. When applicable, they may adopt open-review or double-blind methodologies.
4.3 Conflict of Interest Management
Editors and committee members must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from decision-making when necessary.
4.4 Handling of Misconduct
In cases of suspected ethical misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, falsification, duplicate submission), editors must initiate an investigation following COPE guidelines and take appropriate action, including rejection, retraction, or notifying affiliated institutions.
5. Responsibilities of the Organizing Committee and Sponsors
5.1 Ethical Sponsorship and Independence
Financial contributions or sponsorships shall not influence program decisions, speaker selection, or acceptance of scientific material.
5.2 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
CITIS is committed to promoting equitable access, diversity in representation, and fair participation across gender, geography, discipline, and institutional backgrounds.
5.3 Safety, Respect, and Professional Conduct
All participants must maintain respectful, harassment-free interactions. Discrimination, intimidation, or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated.
6. Environmental and Social Responsibility
Participants should consider the potential social, environmental, and ethical impact of their research. Projects involving emerging technologies (AI, biotechnology, cybersecurity, etc.) must include responsible and ethical considerations.
7. Sanctions for Ethical Violations
Violations of this Code of Ethics may result in:
Rejection of the submission,
Removal from the program,
Retraction of published materials,
Suspension from future editions of the conference,
Notification of affiliated institutions.
8. Acceptance of the Code
Participation in CITIS implies full acceptance of this Code of Ethics. All contributors are expected to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, professionalism, and ethical conduct.
