Prospective Research Journal

Al-Hadba University

Last Updated: May 4, 2025

1. Introduction

The Prospective Research (PR) Journal, published by the Future Studies Centre at Al-Hadba University, is committed to protecting the privacy of all individuals who interact with our journal. This Privacy Statement outlines how we collect, use, store, and protect personal information.

2. Scope of This Statement

This Privacy Statement applies to:

• Authors submitting manuscripts
• Peer reviewers
• Editors and editorial board members
• Readers accessing our content
• Website visitors
• Subscribers to our notifications

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Personal Information

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide, including:

• Name and professional title
• Institutional affiliation
• Email address
• Postal address and telephone number
• ORCID iD (optional)
• Academic qualifications and expertise
• Manuscript content and related materials

3.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device information
• Access dates and times
• Pages visited
• Time spent on pages
• Referring websites

3.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Improve website functionality
• Analyze website traffic
• Enhance user experience
• Remember your preferences

4. How We Use Your Information

4.1 For Editorial Purposes

• Process manuscript submissions
• Facilitate peer review
• Communicate editorial decisions
• Maintain author-reviewer anonymity (in double-blind review)
• Track article submissions and revisions

4.2 For Publication

• Publish accepted articles with author attribution
• Generate metadata for indexing services
• Create article-level metrics
• Enable content discovery and citation

4.3 For Communication

• Send editorial correspondence
• Share journal updates and announcements
• Respond to inquiries
• Deliver technical support

4.4 For Analytics and Improvement

• Analyze website usage patterns
• Improve journal services
• Develop new features
• Conduct research on publication practices

5. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on:

• Consent: When you submit manuscripts or subscribe to services
• Contractual necessity: To fulfill our publication agreement
• Legitimate interests: To operate and improve our journal
• Legal obligation: To comply with publishing standards and regulations

6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

6.1 Third-Party Service Providers

We may share your information with:

• Manuscript submission platform providers
• Peer review management systems
• Web hosting services
• Email service providers
• Analytics services
• Plagiarism detection software

6.2 Academic Community

• Published articles include author contact information (as provided)
• Reviewers may communicate through the journal platform
• Editor decisions may reference reviewer comments (anonymized)

6.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information when required by:

• Iraqi law and regulations
• University policies
• Academic ethics investigations
• Copyright infringement claims

7. International Data Transfers

When transferring data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards through:

• Standard contractual clauses
• Privacy Shield frameworks (where applicable)
• Adequate data protection measures

8. Data Retention

8.1 Manuscript Records

• Submitted manuscripts: 5 years after final decision
• Published articles: Indefinitely (for archival purposes)
• Peer review records: 3 years after publication

8.2 User Accounts

• Active accounts: Duration of relationship
• Inactive accounts: 3 years of inactivity before deletion

8.3 Website Analytics

• Traffic data: 24-36 months
• Cookie data: As specified in cookie policy

9. Your Rights

Under applicable privacy laws, you have rights to:

9.1 Access

• Request copies of your personal data
• Obtain information about how we process your data

9.2 Rectification

• Correct inaccurate personal information
• Update outdated information

9.3 Erasure

• Request deletion of your data (subject to legal requirements)
• Withdraw consent for future processing

9.4 Portability

• Receive your data in a structured format
• Transfer data to another service provider

9.5 Objection

• Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Opt-out of marketing communications

9.6 Restriction

• Limit how we use your data
• Correct disputed data

10. Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures:

• SSL encryption for data transmission
• Secure servers with access controls
• Regular security audits
• Staff training on data protection
• Incident response procedures

11. Special Considerations

11.1 Peer Review Confidentiality

• Reviewer identities protected in single-blind review
• Manuscript content kept confidential during review
• Communications secured within the platform

11.2 Open Access Publishing

• Published content is openly accessible
• Author contact information may be publicly visible
• DOIs and permanent identifiers assigned

11.3 Academic Freedom

Balancing privacy with transparency in research. Supporting academic integrity investigations

12. Children's Privacy

PRJ does not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 18 years of age. If we become aware of such collection, we will delete the information promptly.

13. Changes to This Privacy Statement

We may update this Privacy Statement periodically. Significant changes will be:

• Posted on our website
• Communicated to users via email
• Effective 30 days after notification

14. Contact Information

For privacy-related inquiries, please contact:

Data Protection Officer
Prospective Research Journal
Future Studies Centre
Al-Hadba University
Mosul, Iraq

Email: [email protected]
Phone: [University Contact Number]

15. Compliance

This Privacy Statement complies with:

• Iraqi data protection regulations
• University privacy policies
• International standards for academic publishing
• GDPR principles (where applicable)

16. Acknowledgment

By using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Statement.

This Privacy Statement is available in English. For translations or clarifications, please contact our editorial office.