DEIA Principles

DEIA Principles – RPGE

(Diversity • Equity • Inclusion • Accessibility)**

The RPGE – Online Journal of Policy and Educational Management adopts the DEIA principles as core elements of its editorial governance. These principles guide all processes of submission, evaluation, decision-making, publication and dissemination, ensuring an ethical, equitable and inclusive scientific environment aligned with COPE, DOAJ and Open Science standards.

1. Diversity

RPGE recognizes diversity as an ethical, scientific and social value. The journal encourages:

  • participation of authors from different regions, cultures, identities and sociopolitical contexts;

  • representation of early-career researchers and groups historically underrepresented in academia;

  • plurality of theoretical, methodological and epistemological perspectives;

  • inclusion of topics and research approaches relevant to marginalized or underrepresented communities;

  • contributions from the Global South to balance global knowledge production.

Diversity applies to:

  • authors

  • reviewers

  • editors

  • advisory board

  • research themes

2. Equity

RPGE guarantees that all manuscripts are evaluated fairly and impartially, regardless of:

  • gender or gender identity,

  • race, ethnicity or cultural background,

  • nationality or geographic origin,

  • religion or belief,

  • age,

  • socioeconomic status,

  • disability,

  • sexual orientation,

  • institutional affiliation or academic status.

Editorial decisions are based solely on:

  • scientific merit,

  • methodological rigor,

  • relevance to the journal’s scope.

3. Inclusion

RPGE fosters an inclusive editorial environment that values different voices and research trajectories. The journal:

  • encourages the participation of young researchers and scholars from diverse backgrounds;

  • accepts submissions in Portuguese, Spanish and English to reduce linguistic barriers;

  • promotes clear, transparent and respectful communication;

  • actively combats exclusionary practices in peer review;

  • values research on equity, justice and social transformation in education.

4. Accessibility

RPGE is committed to accessibility as a foundation of Open Science and the right to knowledge. The journal ensures:

  • immediate and free Open Access to all content;

  • legible PDFs with structured headings and proper formatting;

  • metadata compatible with assistive technologies;

  • website compatible with accessibility guidelines (WCAG principles when possible);

  • editorial communication free from unnecessary barriers.

5. Bias Mitigation in Peer Review

To maintain integrity and fairness:

  • double-blind review is used to reduce implicit bias;

  • reviewers receive guidance on unconscious bias and ethical evaluation;

  • editors monitor decisions to detect potential bias;

  • reviewers may be replaced in cases of discrimination, conflict of interest or misconduct;

  • transparency is ensured through clear documentation of the editorial process.

In open review models, identities are only disclosed with formal consent.

6. Inclusive Language

RPGE promotes the use of inclusive, respectful and non-discriminatory language in:

  • articles,

  • communications,

  • editorial texts,

  • guidelines for authors and reviewers.

Language must respect cultural identities, avoid stereotypes and support equity.

7. Governance and Editorial Responsibility

RPGE commits to:

  • promoting diversity within the editorial and scientific committees;

  • providing guidance and training on DEIA principles for editors and reviewers;

  • continuously assessing editorial practices to remove structural barriers;

  • responding promptly to complaints of discrimination, harassment or exclusion;

  • adopting global best practices of ethical publishing.

8. DEIA and Open Science

DEIA principles are integrated into the journal’s Open Science framework through:

  • transparent evaluation processes;

  • optional open peer review;

  • publication of review reports when authorized;

  • democratization of scientific knowledge;

  • recognition of diverse research practices.

Open Science + DEIA strengthens ethical, fair and socially meaningful scientific communication.

9. Final Commitment

RPGE reaffirms its commitment to:

  • Diversity as richness

  • Equity as principle

  • Inclusion as practice

  • Accessibility as right

Scientific excellence depends on justice, inclusion and respect for all people and perspectives.