Call for Special Issue Proposals

Special Issues provide an opportunity to bring together high-quality research around a clearly defined theme, emerging technology, interdisciplinary challenge, or rapidly developing area of computing. JEPCS invites qualified researchers to propose Special Issues and serve as Guest Editors in collaboration with the journal's Editorial Office.

Special Issue proposals should have a clear scholarly focus and should complement the regular scope of JEPCS rather than duplicate a general journal issue.

Areas of Interest

Special Issue proposals may address topics including, but not limited to:

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Generative AI and Large Language Models
• Explainable, Trustworthy, and Responsible AI
• Deep Learning and Reinforcement Learning
• Computer Networks and Communications
• Wireless, Mobile, and 5G/6G Networks
• Software-Defined Networking and Network Function Virtualization
• Cloud, Edge, Fog, and Continuum Computing
• Mobile and Multi-access Edge Computing
• Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Secure Computing
• Internet of Things and Cyber-Physical Systems
• Digital Twins and Intelligent Digital Systems
• Autonomous and Multi-Agent Systems
• Data Science and Big Data Analytics
• Federated and Distributed Learning
• Quantum and Emerging Computing Technologies
• Smart Cities and Intelligent Transportation
• Human-Centered and Intelligent Computing
• Sustainable and Green Computing
• Software Systems and Software Engineering
• Emerging Computing Architectures and Applications

Proposals in other relevant areas of contemporary and emerging computing are also welcome, provided that they fall within the aims and scope of JEPCS.

Who Can Propose a Special Issue?

Special Issue proposals may be submitted by researchers with demonstrated academic expertise and an active research profile in the proposed field.

JEPCS preferably encourages a Guest Editorial team consisting of 2-4 researchers. Where possible, the proposed Guest Editors should represent different institutions and countries in order to promote disciplinary and geographical diversity.

The proposed Guest Editors should collectively have appropriate expertise in the topic of the Special Issue and be capable of supporting a fair, timely, and rigorous editorial process.

The JEPCS Editorial Office reserves the right to request changes to the proposed Guest Editorial team, scope, title, timeline, or other aspects of a proposal before approval.

What Should a Special Issue Proposal Include?

A Special Issue proposal should normally include:

• Proposed Special Issue title
• Summary of the proposed theme
• Motivation and relevance of the topic
• Scope and objectives
• Suggested topics or subthemes
• Keywords
• Target research community
• Explanation of alignment with JEPCS
• Names and affiliations of the proposed Guest Editors
• Countries and institutional email addresses of Guest Editors
• ORCID and Google Scholar profiles of Guest Editors
• Short academic biographies of the Guest Editors
• Proposed manuscript submission deadline
• Expected number of potential submissions
• Relevant research communities, laboratories, professional networks, conferences, or workshops
• Proposed promotion and dissemination strategy

Responsibilities of Guest Editors

Approved Guest Editors will work with the JEPCS Editorial Office throughout the Special Issue process. Guest Editors are expected to:

• Refine the Special Issue scope and Call for Papers in consultation with JEPCS.
• Promote the Special Issue to appropriate research communities.
• Encourage relevant and high-quality submissions.
• Assist with preliminary editorial assessment where requested.
• Recommend suitably qualified and independent reviewers.
• Support the peer-review process in a fair and timely manner.
• Avoid handling manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists.
• Maintain confidentiality throughout the editorial process.
• Follow JEPCS publication ethics and research-integrity requirements.
• Ensure that invited manuscripts follow the same editorial standards as other submissions.
• Assist with preparation of an introductory editorial for the completed Special Issue, where appropriate.

Peer Review and Editorial Independence

All manuscripts submitted to a Special Issue are subject to the same editorial screening and peer-review requirements as regular JEPCS submissions.

JEPCS follows a single-anonymous peer-review process. Manuscripts considered suitable for external review are evaluated by qualified independent reviewers. Editorial decisions consider originality, relevance, technical soundness, methodological rigor, quality of evaluation, clarity, and compliance with journal policies.

Participation in a Special Issue, invitation by a Guest Editor, association with a conference or workshop, or recommendation by a member of the Guest Editorial team does not guarantee acceptance or publication.

Manuscripts authored or co-authored by a Guest Editor must be handled independently by another qualified editor to avoid conflicts of interest.

Originality and Similarity Screening

JEPCS applies its standard originality and similarity requirements to all Special Issue submissions. Manuscripts are screened during the initial editorial assessment.

Manuscripts that do not satisfy these requirements may be returned to the authors for revision or may not proceed to peer review, depending on the nature and extent of the identified overlap.

Generative AI and AI-Writing Screening

JEPCS permits the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies during manuscript preparation where such use is appropriately and transparently disclosed. Authors remain fully responsible for the originality, accuracy, integrity, references, data, analysis, and conclusions presented in their manuscripts. AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

As part of the initial editorial screening process, JEPCS may review the AI-writing indicator.

A numerical AI-writing result may result in the manuscript being returned to the authors for clarification, revision, or further editorial assessment.

AI-writing detection is used as an editorial screening aid and should not, by itself, be treated as conclusive evidence of research misconduct.

The same screening requirements apply to regular submissions, invited manuscripts, and Special Issue submissions.

Special Issues Associated with Conferences or Workshops

JEPCS may consider Special Issue proposals associated with relevant conferences, workshops, symposia, research networks, or academic events.

However:

• Conference participation does not guarantee journal publication.
• Conference papers must satisfy JEPCS originality and journal-submission requirements.
• Substantially overlapping or previously published material must be appropriately disclosed.
• All manuscripts must undergo JEPCS editorial screening and independent peer review.
• Guest Editors cannot waive JEPCS editorial, similarity, AI-screening, or publication-ethics requirements.

Editorial Review of Special Issue Proposals

Each Special Issue proposal will be reviewed by the JEPCS Editorial Office. The assessment may consider:

• Relevance to the aims and scope of JEPCS
• Timeliness and academic significance of the proposed topic
• Clarity and focus of the proposed scope
• Expertise of the proposed Guest Editorial team
• Institutional and geographical diversity of the Guest Editors
• Feasibility of the proposed timeline
• Expected interest from the research community
• Proposed promotion and dissemination strategy
• Compliance with JEPCS editorial and publication-ethics policies

Following assessment, the Editorial Office may:

• Approve the proposal;
• Request revisions or additional information; or
• Decline the proposal.

Approval of a Special Issue proposal does not imply acceptance of any manuscript subsequently submitted to that Special Issue.

Support Provided by JEPCS

For approved Special Issues, JEPCS will normally provide:

• A dedicated Special Issue webpage
• An official Call for Papers
• Online manuscript submission and editorial workflow
• Peer-review and editorial management support
• Promotional material for the Call for Papers
• Promotion through appropriate JEPCS communication channels
• Publication and online dissemination of accepted manuscripts
• Recognition of the approved Guest Editorial team on the Special Issue webpage

Article Processing Charges

The standard JEPCS Article Processing Charge policy applies to manuscripts submitted to Special Issues.

Guest Editors cannot independently promise, modify, or waive publication charges outside the official JEPCS APC policy.

Current Special Issues