The Journals of Umm Al-Qura University (JUQU) welcomes the development of Collections and Special Issues to highlight focused areas of scholarly research, address emerging topics, and foster interdisciplinary dialogue. These initiatives support JUQU’s commitment to advancing high-quality, peer-reviewed academic discourse in specialized or timely themes.
Definitions
Special Issue: A curated set of articles around a specific topic, theme, or research question, published together under a unified title within a specific volume/issue.
Collection: A dynamic set of articles published across various issues or volumes, grouped virtually under a common theme on the journal website.
Purpose and Scope
Collections and Special Issues aim to:
- Promote scholarship on emerging or underexplored areas of interest
- Encourage interdisciplinary approaches
- Enable thought leadership by guest editors
- Increase visibility and citation of published research.
These may include invited reviews, original research articles, investigation or case studies relevant to the theme.
Special Issue Classification
Special Issues are classified into two types. Solicited Special Issues and Unsolicited Special Issues.
Solicited Special Issue
· A solicited special issue is invited or initiated by the journal's editorial team.
· The journal may reach out to established researchers or experts in a specific field to propose and lead the special issue.
· These proposals are typically part of a planned editorial strategy to highlight emerging or important topics.
· The Guest Editor(s) are often pre-approved or personally invited by the Editor-in-Chief or the editorial board.
Unsolicited Special Issue
· An unsolicited special issue is proposed independently by researchers or academics not directly invited by the journal.
· Individuals or groups submit a special issue proposal for consideration, outlining the topic, scope, and potential contributors.
· The editorial board reviews the proposal for relevance, quality, and feasibility before deciding whether to approve and proceed.
Proposal and Approval Process
To propose a Special Issue or Collection, please download and complete our Special Issue Submission form. Submit the completed form in writing via email to the journal or to the JUQU editorial office at dsrsj@uqu.edu.sa, ensuring that it includes the following details:
- Title and thematic focus
- Rationale and relevance to JUQU’s scope
- Proposed guest editor(s) with short bios and institutional affiliations
- Tentative list of potential contributors (optional)
- Timeline for submission, review, and publication
The Editor-in-Chief and editorial board will review all proposals based on scientific merit, editorial relevance, and thematic coherence.
Guest Editors
Guest editors may be appointed to oversee Special Issues or Collections. Their responsibilities include:
- Contributing to the design of the thematic scope
- Inviting high-quality submissions
- Coordinating the peer review process in accordance with JUQU’s standards
- Ensuring that ethical and editorial policies are upheld
Guest editors must declare any conflicts of interest and will be bound by the journal’s code of conduct.
Editorial Independence and Quality Control
All articles submitted to Special Issues or Collections are subject to the same rigorous peer-review process as regular submissions. Acceptance is based solely on academic quality, originality, and relevance — not on invitation status or editorial affiliations.
JUQU maintains full editorial oversight to ensure that:
- Peer review is independent and unbiased,
- Ethical standards are met,
- No undue influence is exercised by guest editors or sponsors.
Open Submissions
Unless stated otherwise, Special Issues and Collections are open for submissions to all researchers in the relevant field. The submission guidelines and deadlines will be publicly listed on the journal’s website and promotional channels.
Conflicts of Interest
All participants including guest editors, reviewers, and authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest. These disclosures will be reviewed by the editorial team prior to acceptance or publication.
Marketing and Visibility
Approved Special Issues and Collections may be promoted through:
- Announcements on the JUQU website
- Calls for papers circulated via academic networks
- Institutional outreach and conference promotion
This helps ensure broad visibility and encourages high-quality participation.
Post-Publication Updates
Collections may continue to grow over time as new articles relevant to the theme are added. Special Issues are published as closed units within a single volume and issue.