Urban Development Issues: Publishing Policy and Ethics
General Information
The publisher of Urban Development Issues (UDI) is the Institute of Urban and Regional Development (Instytut Rozwoju Miast i Regionów), with its registered office at ul. Targowa 45, 03-728 Warsaw, Poland. The correspondence address is ul. Cieszyńska 2, 30-015 Kraków, Poland.
UDI is an online, open-access scientific journal operating under a continuous publication model.
Articles are published online throughout the year after completing the editorial and peer-review process. Each annual volume is formally closed at the end of the calendar year.
The journal publishes articles in British English and Polish.
UDI primarily publishes original scholarly articles that undergo a double-blind peer-review process.
Non-peer-reviewed materials, such as book reviews, project reports, commentaries and editorial notes, may be published occasionally following consultation with the Editorial Team. Such materials are clearly identified as non-peer-reviewed.
Submitted manuscripts should normally contain between 20,000 and 40,000 characters, including spaces, the abstract and the list of references.
UDI is an online, open-access scientific journal operating under a continuous publication model.
Articles are published online throughout the year after completing the editorial and peer-review process. Each annual volume is formally closed at the end of the calendar year.
The journal publishes articles in British English and Polish.
UDI primarily publishes original scholarly articles that undergo a double-blind peer-review process.
Non-peer-reviewed materials, such as book reviews, project reports, commentaries and editorial notes, may be published occasionally following consultation with the Editorial Team. Such materials are clearly identified as non-peer-reviewed.
Submitted manuscripts should normally contain between 20,000 and 40,000 characters, including spaces, the abstract and the list of references.
Open Access Policy and Publication Fees
UDI provides immediate and unrestricted access to its published content. Readers may access articles without registration, subscription or payment.
The Publisher does not charge authors:
Current and archived articles are freely available through the journal’s website and publishing platform.
Copyright ownership and the terms governing the reuse of published articles are specified in the journal’s Copyright and Licensing Policy and on the webpage of each article.
The Publisher does not charge authors:
- submission fees;
- article processing charges;
- editorial or peer-review fees;
- page or colour charges;
- any other fees connected with publication.
Current and archived articles are freely available through the journal’s website and publishing platform.
Copyright ownership and the terms governing the reuse of published articles are specified in the journal’s Copyright and Licensing Policy and on the webpage of each article.
Publication Ethics
UDI follows the Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.
The journal does not tolerate:
Suspected cases of misconduct are investigated by the Editorial Team in accordance with COPE guidance. Where necessary, the journal may publish a correction, expression of concern or retraction.
The journal does not tolerate:
- plagiarism or self-plagiarism;
- duplicate or redundant publication;
- fabrication or falsification of data;
- manipulation of citations or peer review;
- ghost authorship;
- guest or honorary authorship;
- undisclosed conflicts of interest;
- other forms of research or publication misconduct.
Suspected cases of misconduct are investigated by the Editorial Team in accordance with COPE guidance. Where necessary, the journal may publish a correction, expression of concern or retraction.
Originality and Prior Publication
Manuscripts submitted to UDI must be original. They must not have been previously published, either online or in print, in whole or in substantial part.
A manuscript must not be under consideration by another journal at the time of submission. Submission to the UDI Editorial Office constitutes formal submission for publication.
Authors must appropriately acknowledge and cite all sources used in preparing the manuscript. Any reuse of previously published material must comply with copyright law and applicable licensing terms.
A manuscript must not be under consideration by another journal at the time of submission. Submission to the UDI Editorial Office constitutes formal submission for publication.
Authors must appropriately acknowledge and cite all sources used in preparing the manuscript. Any reuse of previously published material must comply with copyright law and applicable licensing terms.
Authorship and Author Contributions
Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a substantial intellectual contribution to the conception, design, execution, analysis or interpretation of the reported work.
All listed authors must:
UDI does not accept ghost authorship, guest authorship or honorary authorship.
For multi-author articles, the corresponding author may be required to provide a statement describing the contribution of each author. Contributions may include conceptualisation, methodology, investigation, data analysis, writing, editing, visualisation, supervision and project administration.
All listed authors must:
- approve the submitted version of the manuscript;
- approve the final version before publication;
- agree to be accountable for their contribution;
- cooperate in resolving questions concerning the accuracy or integrity of the work.
UDI does not accept ghost authorship, guest authorship or honorary authorship.
For multi-author articles, the corresponding author may be required to provide a statement describing the contribution of each author. Contributions may include conceptualisation, methodology, investigation, data analysis, writing, editing, visualisation, supervision and project administration.
Author Declarations
By submitting a manuscript to the Editorial Office by email or through the submission form, the corresponding author confirms that all authors have read and accepted this Publishing Policy and Ethics statement.
Before publication, the corresponding author is required to submit a signed declaration on behalf of all authors. By signing the declaration, the corresponding author confirms that all co-authors have approved the submitted and final versions of the manuscript and have authorised the corresponding author to act on their behalf in matters relating to the publication process.
The declaration confirms that:
Before publication, the corresponding author is required to submit a signed declaration on behalf of all authors. By signing the declaration, the corresponding author confirms that all co-authors have approved the submitted and final versions of the manuscript and have authorised the corresponding author to act on their behalf in matters relating to the publication process.
The declaration confirms that:
- the authors are the creators of the submitted work and hold the rights necessary for its publication;
- the authors have obtained permission to reproduce any third-party tables, photographs, maps, figures, datasets or other copyrighted materials included in the manuscript;
- all listed authors made a substantial contribution to the work, and no eligible author has been omitted;
- the manuscript is original and does not contain unauthorised material borrowed from other works;
- the manuscript has not previously been published in whole or in substantial part and is not under consideration by another journal;
- all sources of funding and institutional support have been disclosed;
- all relevant financial and non-financial conflicts of interest have been disclosed;
- the research was conducted in accordance with applicable legal, ethical and professional standards;
- all authors accept responsibility for the accuracy, originality and integrity of the submitted work;
- all authors have approved the publication of the article and the granting of the rights necessary for the Publisher to publish, distribute, archive and promote it in accordance with the journal’s Copyright and Licensing Policy.
Funding and Conflicts of Interest
Authors must disclose all sources of funding and other financial or institutional support connected with the research or preparation of the manuscript.
Authors must also disclose any financial, professional, institutional or personal relationships that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research, its interpretation or its presentation.
Where no conflict of interest exists, the manuscript should include the following statement:
The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.
Where the research received no external funding, the following statement may be used: This research received no external funding.
Authors must also disclose any financial, professional, institutional or personal relationships that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research, its interpretation or its presentation.
Where no conflict of interest exists, the manuscript should include the following statement:
The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.
Where the research received no external funding, the following statement may be used: This research received no external funding.
Research Data and Integrity
Authors are responsible for the accuracy and integrity of the data presented in their manuscripts. Data must not be fabricated, falsified, selectively manipulated or presented in a misleading manner.
Where appropriate and legally permissible, authors should provide information about the availability of the data, materials, analytical code or other resources supporting the results of the study.
Any restrictions on access to research data resulting from privacy, confidentiality, commercial sensitivity or legal requirements should be clearly explained.
Where appropriate and legally permissible, authors should provide information about the availability of the data, materials, analytical code or other resources supporting the results of the study.
Any restrictions on access to research data resulting from privacy, confidentiality, commercial sensitivity or legal requirements should be clearly explained.
Use of Generative AI and AI-assisted Technologies
Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies may be used as supporting tools during manuscript preparation.
They must not replace the authors’ scientific judgement, critical analysis, interpretation or original intellectual contribution.
Authors must disclose any substantive use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies in a section entitled Declaration of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies.
The declaration should identify:
The use of basic spelling, grammar and punctuation checking tools does not normally require disclosure.
The use of generative AI to generate, translate, rewrite, reorganise or substantially modify manuscript content must be disclosed.
Where AI-assisted technologies form part of the research methodology, their use must be described in the Methods section in sufficient detail to allow the procedure to be understood and, where possible, reproduced.
Generative AI systems and AI-assisted tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors.
Authors remain fully responsible for all submitted content, including content generated or modified with the assistance of AI. Authors must independently verify:
AI tools must not be used to fabricate, manipulate or misrepresent research data, findings, maps, figures or other research materials.
Reviewers and members of the Editorial Team must not upload submitted manuscripts, reviews or confidential editorial correspondence to publicly accessible generative AI systems.
A recommended disclosure statement is:
During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL OR SERVICE] for [PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF USE]. The author(s) subsequently reviewed, verified and edited the resulting content and take full responsibility for the accuracy, originality and integrity of the published article.
Where no generative AI or AI-assisted technology requiring disclosure was used, the authors may state:
The authors declare that no generative AI or AI-assisted technologies requiring disclosure were used in the preparation of this manuscript.
They must not replace the authors’ scientific judgement, critical analysis, interpretation or original intellectual contribution.
Authors must disclose any substantive use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies in a section entitled Declaration of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies.
The declaration should identify:
- the name of the tool or service;
- the purpose for which it was used;
- the part or stage of the work in which it was used;
- the extent to which the resulting content was reviewed, revised and verified by the authors.
The use of basic spelling, grammar and punctuation checking tools does not normally require disclosure.
The use of generative AI to generate, translate, rewrite, reorganise or substantially modify manuscript content must be disclosed.
Where AI-assisted technologies form part of the research methodology, their use must be described in the Methods section in sufficient detail to allow the procedure to be understood and, where possible, reproduced.
Generative AI systems and AI-assisted tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors.
Authors remain fully responsible for all submitted content, including content generated or modified with the assistance of AI. Authors must independently verify:
- factual accuracy;
- the existence and accuracy of references;
- the originality of the text;
- the reliability of analyses and interpretations;
- compliance with copyright, privacy, confidentiality and data-protection requirements.
AI tools must not be used to fabricate, manipulate or misrepresent research data, findings, maps, figures or other research materials.
Reviewers and members of the Editorial Team must not upload submitted manuscripts, reviews or confidential editorial correspondence to publicly accessible generative AI systems.
A recommended disclosure statement is:
During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL OR SERVICE] for [PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF USE]. The author(s) subsequently reviewed, verified and edited the resulting content and take full responsibility for the accuracy, originality and integrity of the published article.
Where no generative AI or AI-assisted technology requiring disclosure was used, the authors may state:
The authors declare that no generative AI or AI-assisted technologies requiring disclosure were used in the preparation of this manuscript.
Editorial Changes and Author Approval
The Editorial Team may make linguistic, technical and formatting changes that do not alter the substantive meaning of the manuscript.
Authors receive the final proofs for approval before publication.
Authors are responsible for checking the proofs and returning corrections within the deadline specified by the Editorial Team.
Substantive changes may not normally be introduced at the proof stage unless they are necessary to correct a significant error.
Authors receive the final proofs for approval before publication.
Authors are responsible for checking the proofs and returning corrections within the deadline specified by the Editorial Team.
Substantive changes may not normally be introduced at the proof stage unless they are necessary to correct a significant error.
Promotion and Dissemination
Authors consent to the use of the article’s title, abstract, keywords and related promotional materials for the promotion of UDI through the Publisher’s websites, the Urban Policy Observatory, social media and academic networking platforms.
Applicable Law
Any disputes or claims arising from publication in UDI will be governed by Polish law and resolved by the competent court having jurisdiction over the Publisher’s registered office.
Contact
Questions concerning the journal’s publishing procedures or ethical standards should be addressed to:
[email protected]
Last updated: 16 June 2026
[email protected]
Last updated: 16 June 2026