Governance Policy Framework
1. Institutional Governance Framework
MSSRN is a not-for-profit, independent research network governed through a distributed and participatory model. The framework ensures transparency, accountability, inclusiveness, and effective coordination across all flagship programs.
MSSRN operates through a network-based structure comprising:
- Governing Council / Advisory Board – Provides strategic direction and oversight
- Executive Coordination Team – Manages operations, programs, and partnerships
- Editorial and Academic Boards – Ensure publication quality and research integrity
- Thematic Research Hubs – Lead interdisciplinary and policy-relevant research initiatives
- Regional / Institutional Partners – Facilitate local engagement and collaboration
- Early-Career Scholar Network – Supports mentorship, capacity building, and inclusion
MSSRN decisions are guided by:
- Research quality and academic integrity
- Inclusivity and diversity of perspectives
- Transparency in processes
- Relevance to societal and policy impact
2. Ethical Standards
MSSRN is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity, ethical research practice, and social responsibility across all research and publication activities. The network adheres to the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines and other internationally recognized standards governing scholarly publishing and research conduct. For studies involving human participants, MSSRN ensures compliance with the WMA Declaration of Helsinki, including informed consent, confidentiality, protection of participant rights, and approval from recognized ethics review bodies. All research submitted under MSSRN is expected to demonstrate integrity in design, data collection, analysis, and reporting, with zero tolerance for plagiarism, fabrication, or falsification.
MSSRN also promotes responsible and transparent use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, guided by principles of accountability, transparency, trust, and research integrity. Ethics approval is required for research involving human or animal subjects and may be verified as part of the editorial and publication process. In line with its commitment to open and responsible scholarship, MSSRN supports open-access dissemination of research outputs while ensuring proper attribution, respect for intellectual property rights, and the ethical use of data and findings.
3. Operational Policies
MSSRN operates through a transparent, quality-driven, and impact-oriented policy framework that ensures consistency across its research, publishing, and partnership activities.
Open Access and Knowledge Sharing: MSSRN follows an open-access approach to ensure wide accessibility of research outputs, particularly supporting equitable knowledge access for scholars, institutions, and practitioners globally.
Academic Freedom and Research Independence: MSSRN upholds academic freedom and encourages critical inquiry, open dialogue, and evidence-based debate while maintaining professional and ethical standards in all scholarly engagements.
Quality Assurance and Editorial Standards: All MSSRN publications, research outputs, and project proposals undergo structured peer review and editorial evaluation to ensure methodological rigor, originality, and academic quality.
Partnerships and Collaboration: MSSRN engages in strategic collaborations with universities, research institutions, government agencies, NGOs, and professional bodies to promote joint research, capacity building, and policy-relevant knowledge production.
Program Integrity and Accountability: All MSSRN initiatives are implemented under clear governance, monitoring, and reporting mechanisms to ensure transparency, accountability, and effective use of resources.