Launching a peer-reviewed journal in Saudi Arabia: a practical founder’s guide

1. Write the case for this particular journal

Describe the intended readers, the questions the journal will address, its languages and its article types. Test the scope against three hypothetical submissions: one clearly suitable, one borderline and one outside the remit. Ask prospective editors to explain their decisions. If their answers conflict, refine the scope before inviting authors.

For a bilingual title, decide which fields must exist in both languages and who checks each version. Title, abstract, author affiliation and policy wording need named reviewers. Keep the same journal identity across its website, submission portal, correspondence and article files. Record the sponsoring body’s authorization separately from editorial approval of individual articles.

2. Give editorial independence an operational form

ICMJE distinguishes an owner’s governance responsibilities from an editor’s authority over editorial content. Put the editor’s remit, appointment terms and route for resolving disagreements in writing. Commercial considerations should not decide which individual manuscripts are selected.

Translate that principle into access and escalation rules. A finance colleague can confirm a transaction; a handling editor assesses a manuscript. Appoint an alternative editor for submissions involving the editor-in-chief or a close collaborator. Before launch, rehearse a sponsor asking for acceptance and document who can decline that request.

Reference: ICMJE: journal owners and editorial freedom

3. Make public promises specific and affordable

The joint transparency principles cover ownership, editorial contacts, review procedures, fees, licensing, publication schedules, preservation and publication ethics. They also separate author fees from editorial decisions. Use them to inspect the journal’s published policies and record gaps.

Build a budget from your actual operation: manuscript handling, copyediting, Arabic and English review, typesetting, hosting, preservation and staff cover. Name a funding owner and a review date. Record which costs continue if submissions stop. Do not set an acceptance target to solve a funding gap.

For Saudi institutional and regulatory arrangements, ask the sponsoring body’s responsible office to identify the requirements that apply to this specific title and retain its determination. This guide does not establish a licensing route or claim that an institutional approval, an ISSN or a publishing platform satisfies every local requirement.

Reference: COPE / DOAJ / OASPA / WAME: transparency principles

4. Rehearse the entire manuscript journey

Use clearly marked synthetic files in a test environment. Create separate author, reviewer, editor and production accounts. Submit a file, request a correction, invite a reviewer, record a decision, upload a revision and prepare a proof. Check each role’s view. An author should receive the right message and be able to identify the required next action; a reviewer should not see material excluded by the chosen anonymity model.

Run failure cases as deliberately as the happy path: an invitation expires, a reviewer declines, a file is replaced, a staff member leaves and a notification fails. Keep an evidence log with the test, outcome and unresolved issue. A message marked sent by the platform and one received by the intended test account are different observations.

5. Use a launch dossier to decide what is ready

The following example describes a fictional society journal. It is a teaching worksheet, not an assessment of a Saudi institution or Lumora journal. Its team has completed several tasks but has not yet earned a launch recommendation.

On small screens, scroll the table horizontally, or focus it and use the arrow keys.

6. Maintain the published record after launch

An ISSN identifies a serial; its assignment does not certify the quality of its content. Treat identifier registration, directory inclusion and database coverage as separate records. Publish an indexing claim only after checking the relevant official record for the exact journal and the applicable coverage.

Before an article goes live, reconcile the title, author list, affiliations, abstract, references, licensing text and publication date across the web page and downloadable file. Test the article’s permanent link from outside the editorial account. Keep a record of the approved proof and the released version so that later corrections can be traced.

After release, review operational evidence: unresolved author requests, overdue review invitations, failed deliveries and discrepancies reported by readers. Use those observations to adjust staffing and realistic schedules. Keep outreach tied to what the journal can demonstrate: its scope, policies and published articles. An ambitious launch announcement should never outrun the scholarly record.

Reference: ISSN International Centre: what an ISSN identifies

Questions for a practical final check

• Can the responsible office identify the journal owner and relevant institutional determinations?
• Can an editor show how a conflicted submission will be handled?
• Have author, reviewer and production journeys been rehearsed with synthetic accounts?
• Do bilingual policies, actual fees and publication practices agree?
• Is there evidence of restoration and a maintained preservation plan?
• Can every indexing statement be traced to an official record?