On issue 4/2022 and
ACADEMIC PUBLISHING AMID THE WAR IN UKRAINE
This fall, AJEE, which was founded in 2018, is going to be four years old.
My idea to create the journal was motivated not only for the purpose of academic publishing but for the purpose of spreading Ukrainian scholarly research to an international audience, according to international standards of academic publishing.
The old soviet traditions of publishing strangled the very idea of modern Ukrainian scholarly research being available to an international audience, combined with the absence of regulations, experience, and professionals. To remedy this situation, I started by seeking out a professional community and exchanging knowledge and experience, and my efforts led to the creation of the Ukrainian Regional Chapter of the European Association of Science Editors, as well as our University Hub for Academic Publishing. We have successfully organised a series of events related to academic integrity, quality of publishing, and peer review, and now we are holding the first School for Editors in Ukraine, together with the Association of Ukrainian Editors and the European Association of Science Editors. I am happy to be one of the authors of this initiative and truly believe in its useful and productive results.
Within our Ukrainian Regional Chapter of the European Association of Science Editors, together with Maryna Zhenchenko and Yuliia Baklazhenko, we conducted a survey targeting 1,447 science journals published in Ukraine according to the electronic register of the State Scientific Institution ‘Ukrainian Institute of Scientific and Technical Expertise and Information’ (as of 1 August 2022). The main aim of this research was to collect and analyse data on how the war has changed the plans and daily lives of those who work in editorial services and how significantly it has impacted their job and work. This research will help us identify the range of issues and find effective ways to support the editors of scientific journals affected by the war in Ukraine.
I would like to take this opportunity to continue our work and also to express my endless gratitude to my wonderful team, who have taken care of the journal in this period of war, devastation, and disillusion. You are great! Thank you, Polina, for your constant support and care for the communication and dissemination of our results! My special thanks to our spectacular editors, Yuliia, Serhij, Tetiana, Oksana, and Olena as well – you are incredible! Thank you for all the excellent contributions to our journal and for handling articles with such high professional standards. Sarah, thank you for correcting our English and helping to make our research accessible! The wonderful language of Shakespeare gives academics and practitioners from all over the world a unique opportunity to communicate and understand each other. Ana and Polina, thank you for your help with our own beloved Ukrainian language, our mother tongue, which is the soul and heart of every Ukrainian. And, of course, with Oleksandr’s support, we are visible on the web and to the world – thank you for your careful work! Lastly, my sincere gratitude to our publishers, Nataliia and Iryna – you have been the best partners since the very beginning of our journal’s life!
Stay strong in your beliefs and endeavours – our contribution to the development and internationalisation of Ukrainian law is so crucial at this time.
Slava Ukraini!
Editor-in-Chief
Prof. Iryna Izarova
Law School, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv,
Ukraine