1. Purpose

This handbook outlines the publication requirements for all Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral students. The purpose is to:

• Ensure every student produces peer-reviewed academic research before thesis submission.

• Maintain consistent academic standards across all programs.

• Help students plan publications well in advance to avoid graduation delays.

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2. Publication Requirements by Program

A. Bachelor’s Level

• Standard: 1 publication indexed in Scopus (Q1–Q2).

B. Master’s Level

• Standard: 2 publications indexed in Scopus (Q1–Q2).

C. Doctoral Level

• PhD by Research: 6 publications indexed in Scopus (Q1–Q2).

• Other Doctorates: 3 publications indexed in Scopus (Q1–Q2).

D. Honours (Hons) Designations

• Bachelor’s & Master’s: +1 additional publication indexed in Scopus (Q1–Q2).

• Doctorates: +2 additional publications (at least 1 indexed in Scopus Q1–Q2).

E. Disciplinary Adjustments (BA / BSc / MA / MSc / PhD / DSc)

• +1 additional publication indexed in Scopus (Q1–Q2).

Notes:

• Additional conference papers or lower-quartile journal articles are welcome, but they do not replace the mandatory Q1–Q2 journal article requirements for these programs.

• Students on scholarship may be required to publish additional articles as a binding condition of their scholarship terms.

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3. General Publication Standards

• Indexing: All mandatory publications must be strictly indexed in Scopus Q1–Q2 tiers.

• Relevance: The research topic must directly relate to the student's thesis.

• Affiliation: Each publication must clearly list our institution as the primary institutional affiliation.

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4. Link Submission Requirements

Students must submit the following alongside their final thesis:

• Scopus author profile link displaying all required publications.

• Direct article links to verify authorship, affiliation, and indexing status.

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5. Enforcement Policy

• No thesis will be accepted for defense or evaluation without proof of meeting the required publications.

• Missing or non-compliant publications will result in automatic rejection of the thesis submission and a failing result for the term.

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6. Student Responsibilities

• Plan research and publication timelines early to avoid graduation delays.

• Ensure correct institutional affiliation on all submitted manuscripts.

• Consult regularly with supervisors; however, final responsibility for meeting publication requirements rests solely with the student.

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7. Pre-Submission Checklist

• [ ] All required journal publications officially accepted or published in strict Q1–Q2 Scopus venues.

• [ ] Scopus author profile link updated and ready.

• [ ] Primary institutional affiliation verified as our institution.

• [ ] Any supplementary conference papers or materials attached (optional).

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8. Affiliation & Authorship Policy

Academic integrity is a cornerstone of education at our institution. To prevent misconduct and ensure proper institutional attribution, the following rules apply:

1. Primary Affiliation Mandate: All mandatory peer-reviewed publications must list our institution as the student's primary, first-listed institutional affiliation in the published manuscript.

2. Secondary Affiliations: Secondary or dual affiliations (e.g., concurrent employers, external research institutes, or funding bodies) require prior written approval from the Research Committee.

3. Request for Variance: Students whose research is contractually funded or structurally supported by an external institution mandating primary attribution must submit a formal variance request to the Research Committee prior to submitting the manuscript to any journal.

4. Non-Compliance: Publications failing to list our institution as the primary affiliation without prior committee consent will not count toward the mandatory graduation threshold, regardless of Scopus indexing status.

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9. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Q1: Can I co-author with other students or supervisors?

Yes, as long as you are designated as the main or corresponding author. Including your approved supervisor as a co-author does not require prior permission. However, you must obtain prior written approval from the Research Committee if you wish to include any other co-authors.

• Q2: What if my paper is accepted but not yet published?

An official publisher acceptance letter may be temporarily accepted for submission, but final proof of publication must be provided before the thesis defense.

• Q3: Can I submit a paper to non-Scopus journals?

No, only strictly Scopus-indexed (Q1–Q2) publications are accepted unless you hold a formal, signed written approval from the Quality Department.

• Q4: Can I count articles published or worked on before I became an active student or during a study break?

No. You may only count articles if you were an active, enrolled student at our institution during the entire lifecycle of the work—from initial research, analysis, and writing to journal submission and the peer-review process. Taking a study break during any part of this process disqualifies the article from being considered.

• Q5: What happens if a journal is delayed or experiences extended peer-review times?

It is the student's responsibility to check and vet journals before submission to ensure timely publication. Journal processing delays do not exempt students from graduation requirements.