ATHENS INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

ABSTRACT AND PAPER ACCEPTANCE POLICY

1. ATINER’s conference organization, book publications, abstract acceptance policy and paper acceptance for publications in one of our books is consistent and aspires to serve our MISSION statement. Our mission is to make ATHENS a place where academics and researchers from all over the world meet to discuss the developments of their discipline and present their work. To serve this purpose, conferences are organized along the lines of well established and well defined scientific disciplines. In addition, cross discipline conferences are also organized because they serve the mission of the Institute. Even though we try to keep conferences small (25-50 papers), in many cases this number is exceeded. If a conference grows larger, then we are trying to break the conference into smaller ones. This is the reason the number of conferences ATINER organizes grows over the years.
2. We never organize conferences that emphasize a specific theme within one discipline. Our constitution does not permit the organization of such conferences. There are many such excellent conferences, most of them rotated around the world and around cities of the same geographical area. However, there are two exceptions to this policy. First, we can help other associations and organizations that want to organize a conference in Athens but this cannot be an annual permanent event. A good example is the conference on Brand Management we organized in 2009 on behalf of The Centre for Research in Brand Marketing with a leading role played by our Academic Member and Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow Dr. Cleopatra Veloutsou. Second, academic members can take the lead and organize a specific mini-conference as part of one of our general conferences. Successful examples are the mini conference on history as part of the Politics Conference organized by Nick Pappas, Professor of Sam Houston State University and the mini conference on the violence against women as part of the Sociology conference organized by Dr. Susan Caringella, Professor of Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. Academic members of ATINER are welcome to take the lead and organize such mini conferences.
3. Following the general (non-thematic) nature of all our conferences, we never invite keynote speakers to our conferences and unfortunately our association cannot cover any cost of participation, including the registration fee. In our own way, all our speakers are keynote speakers for us.
4. Our abstract acceptance policy is based on three criteria (one is sufficient to be accepted): (a) the academic credentials of the scholar (b) his/her institutional affiliation (country) and (c) Ph.D. Students wishing to present part of their doctoral thesis. An effort is made to keep a weighted balance, both countries and level of academic career of the contributor (Ph.D. Students, Researchers, Lecturers, Assistant Professors, Associate Professors, Professors, etc). In addition, our Association prefers submissions from good academics from small universities and colleges. Preferences are given to academics and researchers from countries and institutions whose access to international academic conferences and events are restricted for subjective or objective reasons. In many cases, the committee might ask for the entire paper before it evaluates a proposal for presentation. If it is accepted, the paper is accepted for presentation NOT for publication. Due to large number of abstracts we receive, we do not supply reviewers’ comments on their decision (acceptance or rejection). For the papers, we do provide reviewers’ comments to the authors only if it is considered for publication. For all our conferences, we issue three calls (first, second and a final) with approximate deadlines 7 months, 4 months and 6 weeks before the conference dates. The acceptance rate of the second and final call depends on the number of participants registered as a result of the first call. For obvious reasons, registrations deadlines for presentations differ and are stated in each acceptance letter.
5. An effort is made to have researchers from as many countries as possible. Preferences are given to non-Greek institutional affiliates. The Institute organizes a number of events and conferences in the Greek language where Greeks from Greece can present their work. Greeks from Greece are more than welcome to chair sessions and help us with editing and reviewing the papers to be presented and published, pending that they have the academic credentials to do so.
6. Please note that the Institute is following the United Nations Nomenclature of Country Names. This applies to both programs and publications. In the program, names appear in a standard format: name, surname, position, affiliation, title of your paper (maximum 10 words everything included). No prefix and only current affiliations are included (maximum three current affiliations). Please do not ask us to include your entire CV on the program.
7. The Institute publishes (a) an abstract book with an ISBN number which is uploaded immediately after the conference on the conference website (b) the presented paper is considered to be included in ATINER's Conference Paper Series with an ISSN number which is uploaded a few weeks after the conference available on http://www.atiner.gr/papers.htm and (c) the presented paper is also peer reviewed in order to be included in one of ATINER's books with ISBN numbers. The list of all book publications is available on: http://www.atiner.gr/docs/BOOK_PUBLICATIONS.htm
8. Acceptance to present DOES NOT guarantee publication in one of ATINER's books. All papers submitted are evaluated according to standard methods of independent blind review process by two referees. It is then up to the editor to decide what paper will be included in his/her volume. Rejection by a specific editor is not the final word. Another editor might find the work of interest and suitable for his/her book. Editors are drawn from the world community of academics and researchers. Preferences are given to academics and researchers who have not edited a book with ATINER. The decision to choose editors is the responsibility of the President of the Institute. We do not publish conference proceedings as such. Books are published based on papers presented at any of our conferences, if they form a common theme. Conferences are not thematic but books can be drawn from a very specific area of research. Please consult the publication paper guidelines available on http://www.atiner.gr/docs/Paper_Guidelines.htm
9. Papers NOT PRESENTED by their authors and only by their authors are not considered for publication and they do not appear in the program or the abstract book. Reviewers are selected among the academic members of the Institute and non-related to Institute academics and researchers. An attempt is made to homogenize the review process and reviewers decisions are based on (a) Research Design, (b) Theoretical Background (c) Review of the Relevant Literature (d) Significance of Themes (e) Relevance of Themes (f) Clarity and Communication of Arguments Presented (g) Clarity of Conclusions and (h) Overall Quality of Analysis. In cases that the 2 referees have different opinions, the editor decides whether the paper is accepted or rejected.
10. All our books are produced after the conference and they can take from a few weeks up to two years to appear, excluding the time required for printing and binding. However, if a paper needs revisions, it might take longer to be published. Contributors receive an electronic version of their paper. Each editor receives one complimentary copy of the book.
11. Rarely do we publish book-length manuscripts. In this case part of the cost must be covered by the author(s). Upon receipt of proposals or manuscripts, the materials may be sent to two external referees, and their comments are then consulted, and a decision is arrived at, for publication. If a work is approved for publication, we begin the publishing process by producing proofs. When proofs are approved by the author, we send the book to press. Printing takes from one to three months. The book is listed in a number of databases including Bibliographic Data Services which offers the Greek national Library cataloguing in publication service. Flyers are sent to all major and specialised libraries as well as to specialist bookshops.

If you have any inquiries, suggestions or need further information please send us an email at info@atiner.gr