SCIENTIA INTERNATIONAL

Overview

Scientia International recognizes the fundamental role of Editors-in-Chief in consolidating the scientific excellence, editorial integrity, and long-term sustainability of its journals. This policy establishes a transparent, progressive, and merit-based compensation model, aligned with the highest international standards of editorial ethics and scientific management.

The compensation for Editors-in-Chief is structured into three progressive phases that reflect the natural life cycle of emerging scientific journals: initial implementation, intermediate consolidation, and editorial maturity. Each phase has clear, measurable, and achievable goals, with fixed quarterly honorariums supplemented by substantial non-financial benefits.

Payments are subject to applicable tax withholdings in the country of the paying source. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for tax compliance in their country of residence. The legal relationship is established through a service provision agreement, governed by the law and jurisdiction defined in the instrument.

Core Principles

Transparency

All compensation criteria, progression goals, and evaluation mechanisms are public, objective, and communicated in advance to the Editors-in-Chief.

Merit and Editorial Quality

Progression between phases is based on qualitative editorial achievements—indexing, selectivity, internationalization, scientific impact—and not exclusively on the volume of published articles.

Financial Sustainability

The compensation model is structured to ensure the financial sustainability of Scientia International while offering fair and competitive compensation to Editors-in-Chief.

Equity and Non-Discrimination

This policy applies equally to all Editors-in-Chief of the Scientia International Journals, regardless of gender, nationality, disciplinary area, or the journal’s publication model.

Progressive Compensation Structure

Phase 1: Initial Implementation (Months 1-12)

Period: The first 12 months from the formal appointment of the Editor-in-Chief.

Objective: Fundamental editorial structuring, formation of the editorial board, establishment of editorial policies, and initial submission acquisition.

Financial Compensation

Launch Bonus (Phase 1). The Editor-in-Chief will be entitled to a bonus of €1,200 (one thousand two hundred euros) at the end of Phase 1, contingent on the formal validation of the fulfillment of all goals. If all goals are met before the end of the period, the bonus becomes immediately payable (early completion). Payment will occur exclusively through the retention of up to 50% of the net revenue from each APC received after validation, until the full amount is paid. In the absence of APC revenue, Scientia is under no obligation to make a payment. The bonus is not subject to monetary updates, interest, or correction.

Definitions and Conditions

1. a) Net APC Revenue: The amount effectively received as an Article Processing Charge, after deducting taxes on collection, transaction/processing fees, and currency exchange costs.
   b) Phase 1 Goals: Publicizing the minimum editorial board; complete online editorial policies (scope, open peer review, ethics, and author guidelines in Portuguese, Spanish, and English); and launching at least one public call for papers.
   c) Validation: The right to the bonus is only established after a formal record/validation of the goals by Scientia International.
   d) Waivers: Waived APCs, full discounts, or pro-bono publications do not generate revenue and do not count toward the bonus payment.
   e) Expiration: If there is no net APC revenue within 12 (twelve) months from the validation of the goals, the bonus expires without any liability for Scientia International.
   f) Editor Replacement: In case of replacement before the bonus is fully paid, the editorial committee will determine the pro rata temporis payment to the editor who completed Phase 1, following the same retention mechanism on future revenues.
   g) Taxation: Payments are subject to applicable legal withholdings; the editor is responsible for their tax compliance in their country of residence.

Guaranteed Non-Financial Benefits

Full APC Waivers:

• Publications by the Editor-in-Chief and/or their direct advisees: up to 3 articles per year in any Scientia International journal (aggregated value: €1,350/year).

   

• Total value of waivers: €1,350/year.
  Articles authored/co-authored by the Editor-in-Chief or their direct advisees will be evaluated by independent reviewers, with the final decision made by an associate editor without a declared conflict of interest. The conflict of interest statement will be published in the article.

   

Premium Translation Service:

• Professional translation (full post-automatic review) free of charge for 1 article per year by the Editor-in-Chief in Portuguese, Spanish, or English (aggregated value: €450).

   

Certification and Institutional Recognition:

• Official title of Founding Editor-in-Chief with an individual DOI for the editorial profile.

   

• Prominent inclusion on the Scientia International institutional website with a full biography, professional photograph, and direct links to ORCID/Lattes/academic profiles.

   

Strategic Participation:

• Full member of the International Scientific Advisory Committee with voting rights on institutional strategic decisions.

   

• Quarterly virtual meetings with the Scientia International Management Team and other Editors-in-Chief for institutional planning.

   

• Direct influence on cross-cutting editorial policies (indexing priorities, institutional partnerships, new journals).

   

Milestones for Completing Phase 1

To transition to Phase 2, the journal must cumulatively achieve the following milestones:

Structured Editorial Board:

• A minimum of 10-15 formally appointed members, including:

   

  • 1 Editor-in-Chief

     

  • 1-4 Associate Editors

     

  • 6-10 International Editorial Board Members (minimum 40% from institutions outside Spain and Brazil)

     

Minimum Editorial Volume:

• Publication of a minimum of 10 articles in a continuous flow over the 12 months.

   

• Recommended distribution: 3-4 articles per issue, with 3 annual issues (articles may be published between formal issues in a continuous flow model).

   

Initial Indexing:

• Formal submission to the DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals) with complete documentation.

   

• Submission to 2+ regional databases (Latindex, Redalyc, ERIH PLUS, RedALyC, Dialnet, or equivalents in the disciplinary area).

   

Initial Editorial Selectivity:

• An established and documented desk rejection rate, with a recommendation of a minimum of 15% of received submissions.

   

Formalized Editorial Policies:

• Publication on the journal’s website of:

   

  • Clearly defined scope and objectives.

     

  • Detailed open peer review process.

     

  • Publication ethics policies (plagiarism, self-plagiarism, conflicts of interest).

     

  • Complete author guidelines in Portuguese, Spanish, and English.

     

Extension of Phase 1

If the goals are not met within 12 months, the Editor-in-Chief may request an extension of up to 6 additional months (totaling 18 months) by providing:

• A detailed report of editorial activities performed.

   

• A well-founded justification for the challenges faced.

   

• An action plan to achieve the goals in the subsequent 6 months.

   

The extension is granted automatically, provided the Editor-in-Chief demonstrates genuine and continued effort in submission acquisition and editorial structuring.

Phase 2: Intermediate Consolidation (Months 13-24 or 19-30, depending on Phase 1 extension)

Period: The 12 months following the successful completion of Phase 1.

Objective: Operational consolidation, regular editorial flow, increased international visibility, and preparation for major indexing.

Financial Compensation

Fixed Quarterly Honorarium: €400

Total Annual Honorarium: €1,600

Payment Method: International bank transfer or PayPal, processed by the 10th business day of the month following the end of each quarter.

Volume Independence: The quarterly honorarium is fixed and guaranteed, regardless of the number of articles published in the period, as long as the journal maintains regular editorial activity (minimum 1 issue published per four-month period).

Maintained Non-Financial Benefits

All non-financial benefits from Phase 1 remain valid:

• Full APC waivers (own + advisees)

   

• Premium translation service

   

• Certification and institutional recognition

   

• Participation in the International Scientific Committee

   

Bonuses for Specific Strategic Achievements

In addition to the fixed quarterly honorarium, the Editor-in-Chief may receive one-time (non-recurring) bonuses for impactful editorial achievements:

Indexing in Relevant Databases:

• €500 for confirmed indexing in DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals).

   

• €300 for confirmed indexing in high-impact regional databases (SciELO, Redalyc, ERIH PLUS, Latindex Catálogo 2.0).

   

• €200 for indexing in specific disciplinary databases or recognized international directories.

   

Organized Thematic Issues:

• €400 for a thematic issue organized with a minimum of 8 articles externally acquired (authors not affiliated with the editor’s institution) and an acceptance rate of ≤30% (demonstrating selectivity).

   

Scientific Recognition:

• €400 for a journal article that receives a scientific award, honorable mention, or is highlighted on a relevant scientific dissemination platform (ResearchGate Highlights, Altmetric Top 100, etc.).

   

• €200 for publishing an editorial review, meta-article, or methodological article about the journal in an external indexed journal.

   

Institutional Partnerships:

• €400 for establishing a formal institutional partnership (read + publish agreement with a university, scientific society, or research institute).

   

All provided bonuses will be paid once per achievement per journal and are not due for repeated payments for the same event.

Milestones for Completing Phase 2

To transition to Phase 3, the journal must cumulatively achieve the following milestones:

Consolidated Editorial Volume:

• Publication of a minimum of 30 articles since the journal’s inception (sum of Phase 1 + Phase 2).

   

• Maintenance of a regular publication schedule: 3 annual issues published on time.

   

Confirmed Indexing:

• Effective and public indexing in the DOAJ.

   

• Indexing in a minimum of 2 relevant regional or disciplinary databases.

   

Consolidated Selectivity:

• A total rejection rate (desk rejection + post-peer review) of a minimum of 30%, demonstrating the consolidation of quality criteria.

   

Editorial Decision Time:

• An average time from submission to final decision (acceptance or rejection) of ≤ 90 days for at least 70% of processed manuscripts.

   

Internationalization of the Editorial Board:

• A minimum of 40% of editorial board members affiliated with institutions outside of Spain and Brazil.

   

Minimum Editorial Revenue:

• Accumulated APC revenue of a minimum of €13,500 (corresponding to 30 articles × €450).

   

Phase 3: Editorial Maturity (Month 25 onwards or 31+ depending on the timeline)

Period: Commences after the successful completion of Phase 2, with an indefinite duration.

Objective: Maintenance of editorial excellence, expansion of scientific impact, indexing in major databases (Scopus, Web of Science), and long-term sustainability.

Financial Compensation

Fixed Quarterly Honorarium: €1,500–€2,000 (determined by a maturity assessment—see specific section below).

Total Annual Honorarium: €6,000–€8,000

Payment Method: International bank transfer or PayPal, processed by the 10th business day of the month following the end of each quarter.

Volume Independence: The quarterly honorarium is fixed and guaranteed, regardless of the number of articles published in the period, as long as the journal maintains regular editorial activity and consolidated quality standards.

Maintained and Expanded Non-Financial Benefits

All non-financial benefits from Phases 1 and 2 remain valid, with the addition of:

Deferred Participation in Institutional Results:

• After 36 months of continuous operation and achieving sustained breakeven (revenue > operational costs for 6+ consecutive months), founding Editors-in-Chief receive a 5% share of the annual net revenue of the specific journal under their management, distributed annually.

   

• The journal’s annual net revenue is the sum of APCs received minus: transaction fees; direct editorial costs (translation, review, layout, DOI), proportional platform infrastructure, and marketing costs. The calculation will be shared annually with the Editor-in-Chief, who has the right to contest it within 15 days.

   

Recognition of Editorial Leadership:

• Priority invitations to speak at lectures, webinars, and scientific events organized by Scientia International (with separate compensation or expense coverage).

   

• Inclusion in institutional publications on open science, multilingualism, and editorial ethics.

   

Bonuses for High-Impact Strategic Achievements

In addition to the fixed quarterly honorarium, the Editor-in-Chief may receive one-time (non-recurring) bonuses for exceptional editorial achievements:

Indexing in Major Databases:

• €2,500 for confirmed indexing in Scopus (Elsevier).

   

• €2,500 for confirmed indexing in Web of Science (Clarivate).

   

• €1,500 for confirmed indexing in PubMed/PubMed Central (exclusive to Health/Biomedical Science journals).

   

Emerging Impact Factor:

• €1,200 for achieving a CiteScore ≥ 1.0 (Scopus) or SJR ≥ 0.3 (Scimago Journal Rank) or an equivalent metric.

   

Associated Scientific Events:

• €1,500 for organizing an international scientific congress, symposium, or workshop associated with the journal (in-person or virtual), with a minimum of 50 participants and publication of proceedings or a special issue.

   

Large-Scale Institutional Partnerships:

• €2,000 for establishing a formal institutional partnership that results in a read + publish agreement in the CRUE-CSIC model (where a university or consortium pays a fixed annual fee to guarantee APC waivers for affiliated authors).

   

Editorial Maturity Assessment System (Phase 3)

Starting in Phase 3, the journal undergoes an annual maturity assessment that determines the exact quarterly honorarium within the €1,500–€2,000 range.

Assessment Frequency

Annual, conducted in the same month as the anniversary of the start of Phase 3.

Weighted Assessment Criteria

Sustainable Editorial Volume (Weight: 15%)

• Number of articles published per year compared to a benchmark of similar journals in the disciplinary area.

   

• Maximum score: 40 articles/year or more.

   

Achieved Indexing (Weight: 30%)

• DOAJ + 2 regional databases = 30 points.

   

• DOAJ + 4+ regional databases = 50 points.

   

• DOAJ + regional databases + Scopus or Web of Science = 80 points.

   

• DOAJ + regional databases + Scopus + Web of Science = 100 points.

   

Editorial Selectivity (Weight: 15%)

• Total rejection rate ≥ 50% = 100 points.

   

• Rejection rate 40–49% = 80 points.

   

• Rejection rate 30–39% = 60 points.

   

• Rejection rate < 30% = penalty.

   

Internationalization (Weight: 15%)

• Percentage of authors, reviewers, and editorial board members from international institutions (outside Spain/Brazil).

   

• ≥ 60% international = 100 points.

   

• 50–59% international = 80 points.

   

• 40–49% international = 60 points.

   

• < 40% international = 40 points.

   

Emerging Scientific Impact (Weight: 20%)

• CiteScore, SJR, journal h-index, altmetrics, mentions in academic media, awards received for published articles.

   

• Score based on benchmarks of the specific disciplinary area.

   

Financial Sustainability (Weight: 5%)

• Revenue/operational costs ratio.

   

• Number of active institutional partnerships.

   

• Percentage of waivers granted vs. the institutional target of 20–30%.

   

Compensation Tiers by Total Score

• 0–50 points: Quarterly honorarium of €1,500 (€6,000/year).

   

• 51–70 points: Quarterly honorarium of €1,700 (€6,800/year).

   

• 71–85 points: Quarterly honorarium of €1,850 (€7,400/year).

   

• 86–100 points: Quarterly honorarium of €2,000 + a special consolidation bonus of €2,000 (€10,000/year total).

   

Transparency and Communication

The complete scorecard with a detailed score for each criterion is shared with the Editor-in-Chief 30 days before the annual assessment, along with comparative data from benchmark journals in the same disciplinary area.

The Editor-in-Chief has the right to a well-founded appeal if they identify a calculation error or disagree with the application of the criteria, with a 15-day period to present their argument.

Responsibilities of Editors-in-Chief

Strategic Editorial Management

• Oversee the entire editorial process of the journal, ensuring scientific quality, ethical integrity, and compliance with Scientia International’s institutional policies.

   

• Coordinate the open peer review process, ensuring rigorous selectivity and fair evaluation of manuscripts.

   

• Make well-founded final decisions on acceptance, required revisions, or rejection of manuscripts.

   

Composition and Management of the Editorial Board

• Form and maintain a qualified and diverse international editorial board.

   

• Select and invite expert reviewers for manuscript evaluation.

   

• Appoint and supervise associate editors as needed.

   

Management of Deadlines and Periodicity

• Ensure the publication of 3 annual issues within the established schedule (continuous flow model with quarterly closing).

   

• Maintain an average editorial decision time of ≤ 90 days (submission → final publication).

   

Promotion and Visibility

• Actively promote the journal at scientific events, academic networks, and dissemination platforms.

   

• Organize strategic thematic issues to increase visibility and attract qualified submissions.

   

• Collaborate with the Scientia International Management Team on indexing and editorial marketing strategies.

   

Ethical Compliance

• Ensure strict compliance with publication ethics policies (anti-plagiarism, conflicts of interest, responsible authorship).

   

• Publish an annual declaration of conflicts of interest (if any).

   

• Maintain absolute confidentiality regarding manuscripts under evaluation.

   

Institutional Reporting

• Submit a semi-annual report of editorial activities to the Scientia International Management Team.

   

• Provide statistical data for calculating metrics (rejection rate, average decision time, geographic origin of authors/reviewers).

   

Additional Policies

Conflicts of Interest

Editors-in-Chief must annually declare any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could compromise their editorial impartiality. Declarations are published on the journal’s page.

Incompatibility with External Editorial Roles

Editors-in-Chief of Scientia International may hold editorial positions at other journals (associate editors, editorial board members), provided this does not compromise their dedication and performance at the Scientia journal. Holding the position of Editor-in-Chief at multiple journals simultaneously must be communicated in advance to Scientia International for a compatibility assessment.

Termination and Replacement

Editors-in-Chief may request voluntary termination at any time by providing formal notice 90 days in advance, ensuring a proper transition.

Scientia International reserves the right to replace Editors-in-Chief in exceptional cases of:

• Repeated failure to meet editorial deadlines without justification.

   

• Serious violation of publication ethics policies.

   

• Prolonged editorial inactivity (absence of submissions or publications for 12+ consecutive months without justification).

   

In the event of a replacement initiated by Scientia International, the Editor-in-Chief will be formally notified 60 days in advance and will have the right to present a well-founded defense.

Policy Review and Update

This compensation policy will be reviewed annually by the Scientia International Management Team, with advisory participation from all active Editors-in-Chief. Adjustments may be implemented to reflect changes in the editorial market, the institution’s financial conditions, and feedback from the scientific community.

Substantive changes (honorarium amounts, progression criteria, phase goals) will be communicated with a minimum of 6 months’ notice and will apply only to new Editors-in-Chief appointed after the effective date, respecting ongoing agreements.

Contact Information

For clarifications about this compensation policy or questions related to editorial positions at Scientia International, please contact:

Institutional E-mail: info@scientia.international
Specific E-mail for Editorial Matters: journals@scientia.international

Scientia.International S.L.
Calle Campus Universitario de Espinardo, 7
Espinardo, Murcia, 30100 – Spain
CIF: B19838929

Scientia International Inova Simples
Av. Paulista, nº 1744, Sala 1110
Bela Vista, São Paulo, 01311-927 – Brazil
CNPJ: 51.097.242/0001-86

Publication Date: October 2025
Last Updated: October 2025
Version: 1.0