The International Center for Promoting Knowledge (ICPK) applies a fully open access publishing model. Every article published by an ICPK journal is freely available from the day of publication, without an embargo, subscription tier, registration requirement, or reader-side charge. The same access applies to current articles and archived content. A reader’s ability to use the scholarly record is not conditional on institutional affiliation, library access, location, or ability to pay.

This open access licensing policy establishes the publisher-wide principles governing access, copyright, reuse, self-archiving, and the separation of editorial decisions from publication charges. The particular licence and any article processing charge are determined by each journal and published on that journal’s own pages.

1. Why ICPK Publishes Open Access

ICPK’s model reflects the subject areas served by its journals. Research in social policy and education is often most useful beyond well-funded universities. Its readers may include teachers, practitioners, school and public administrators, policymakers, independent researchers, and researchers working at institutions without large library budgets.

A subscription barrier can exclude precisely the people most likely to apply, evaluate, or build upon this work. Immediate open access allows a published article to reach readers according to its relevance rather than their institutional purchasing power. For this reason, ICPK does not place published scholarship behind a subscription, delayed-access window, or institutional access package.

Open access at ICPK means:

• every article is free to read from the date of publication;
• no embargo delays public access;
• no payment is required from a reader to view current or archived articles;
• no subscription or premium access tier exists;
• access does not depend on membership of a university, library, or other institution; and
• freely accessible archives remain available for published content.

These commitments apply to access to the article. Lawful reuse remains governed by the licence identified for the relevant journal and article.

2. Copyright Remains with the Author

Authors retain copyright in their published work. ICPK does not require authors to transfer copyright to the publisher and does not take ownership of an article as a condition of publication.

Instead, authors grant the relevant journal and ICPK the licence necessary to publish the work, identify and maintain the version of record, distribute it through the journal, register and display its DOI, deposit publication metadata, and preserve access to the published record. This is a licence to publish, not an assignment of the author’s ownership.

Authors must have the authority to grant the applicable publication licence. Where an article contains third-party material, authors remain responsible for ensuring that the material may lawfully be included and for observing any credit, permission, or reuse restrictions that apply to it. The article’s open licence does not automatically override separate rights attached to third-party content.

3. Reuse and Journal-Specific Licences

ICPK journals publish under open licences that permit reading, downloading, distribution, and citation when the applicable conditions are followed, including proper credit to the authors and source. Users should identify the authors, cite the article appropriately, and link to the version of record by DOI wherever practicable.

ICPK does not impose one publisher-wide licence on every journal. The specific licence is selected at journal level and is stated:

• on the journal’s copyright or licensing page; and
• on the record for the individual article.

Before adapting, redistributing, translating, reproducing, or otherwise reusing an article, users should consult the licence displayed on the article record. Any conditions or limitations of that licence apply to the reuse. If third-party material within the article carries a separate credit line or rights notice, permission may need to be obtained from the relevant rights holder.

The journal and article record are therefore the authoritative sources for the exact reuse terms. The publisher-level policy explains the model but does not replace those journal-specific terms.

4. Self-Archiving Policy

ICPK supports immediate and generous self-archiving. Authors may deposit the published version of their article at any time, without an embargo and without requesting permission from ICPK or the journal.

The published version may be placed in:

• an institutional repository;
• a subject or disciplinary repository;
• the author’s personal website;
• a departmental or research-group website; or
• a scholarly network.

This permission applies to the published version, not only to an earlier manuscript. ICPK asks for one practical step: the deposited copy should link to the version of record using the article’s DOI. That link helps readers find the authoritative publication record, associated metadata, and any later correction or retraction notice.

No fee is charged for self-archiving, and authors do not need written clearance before depositing the published version. This self-archiving policy is intended to allow authors and institutions to share and retain the work while preserving a reliable connection to the version of record.

5. Submission and Publication Charges

Nothing is charged to submit a manuscript to an ICPK journal. Where a journal levies an article processing charge, it becomes payable only after the manuscript has been accepted. The applicable amount is published in advance on that journal’s own charges page.

Charge amounts are set per journal, not as a single ICPK-wide price. Authors should therefore consult the relevant journal for its current charge information rather than infer terms from another journal.

Ability to pay does not determine whether a manuscript is accepted. Editorial authority rests with each journal’s Editor-in-Chief and editorial board, and editors are not informed of an author’s payment, waiver, or funding status while assessing a manuscript. ICPK provides publishing infrastructure, policy, and administrative support; it does not review manuscripts or participate in acceptance or rejection decisions.

For submission guidance and journal-level requirements, see For Authors.

6. Version of Record, DOI, and Continuing Access

Each published article receives a Crossref-registered DOI, and publication metadata is deposited at publication. The DOI provides a persistent identifier for citing and linking to the version of record, including from self-archived copies.

Information on DOI registration, hosting, backups, and the maintenance of published PDFs is available in Preservation & DOI.

ICPK does not sell reader access and does not carry advertising, sponsored content, or paid placement on its sites. The principles separating commercial matters from editorial authority are explained in Editorial Independence & Advertising.

7. Questions About Rights or Reuse

Authors and readers should first consult the applicable journal’s copyright page and the licence shown on the article record. Questions about this policy may be sent to info@theicpk.org.