Vol. 31 No. 2 (2026): Journal of Planner and Development (JPD)
The publication of Volume 31, Issue 2, for the year 2026 represents an important transitional stage in the development of the Journal of Planner and Development. This issue follows the implementation of a series of scientific, editorial, and technical updates intended to strengthen the journal and enhance its academic presence at both the regional and international levels.
Beginning on 1 July 2026, the journal adopted English as the primary language for newly submitted manuscripts. This policy forms part of the journal’s effort to broaden its readership and research community, increase the discoverability and citation potential of published articles, and better prepare the journal to meet the requirements of international indexing services and scholarly databases.
The articles published in this issue were submitted and accepted before the new language policy came into effect. Their editorial procedures were therefore completed, and they are published in Arabic within the transitional arrangements approved by the Editorial Board. This approach preserves the academic and procedural rights of authors whose manuscripts had already completed the evaluation and acceptance stages under the previous policy, and it does not represent a reversal of the language policy adopted for new submissions.
The development process included rebuilding the journal website in English, updating the journal’s description, aims, and scientific scope, reorganizing the policy and guideline pages, developing the official manuscript template, and strengthening article metadata requirements. It also included updates to the policies governing peer review, research integrity, similarity screening, publication ethics, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence tools.
The Editorial Board expects these updates to establish a clearer institutional pathway for publication, improve the quality of submitted research, strengthen transparency in dealings with authors, reviewers, and readers, and prepare the journal for a gradual transition toward a broader international presence while preserving its scientific identity and its role in addressing planning and development issues in Iraq and the region.
Published:
2026-08-07
