📜 Terms and Conditions

Welcome to Journal of Architecture and Theory. By accessing and using https://architecture-theory.com, you agree to comply with and be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

1. Services

• We provide an online platform for academic publishing in architecture, design, and related disciplines.
  
• Authors may submit manuscripts, and upon acceptance, may be required to pay Article Processing Charges (APCs).
  

2. Payment

• Payments are collected securely via Razorpay.
  
• Charges are non-refundable except under circumstances outlined in our Cancellation & Refund Policy.
  
• You agree to provide accurate payment and billing details.
  

3. Copyright and Licensing

• Authors retain copyright of their work but grant us the right to publish under the agreed Open Access license.
  
• Plagiarism or fraudulent submissions will lead to withdrawal of publication.
  

4. Liability

• We make no warranties regarding uninterrupted or error-free service.
  
• We are not responsible for third-party links, technical issues, or any indirect damages.
  

5. Governing Law

• These terms are governed by the laws of India. Any disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction of [Your City], India.
  

🔒 Privacy Policy

We respect your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your data.

1. Information We Collect

• Name, email, institution details during registration.
  
• Payment information (processed securely by Razorpay, not stored by us).
  
• Technical information such as IP address and browser details.
  

2. How We Use Information

• To manage submissions and publication processes.
  
• To process APC payments.
  
• To communicate with authors and reviewers.
  

3. Sharing of Data

• We do not sell or rent your personal information.
  
• Payment data is processed by Razorpay as per their compliance.
  
• We may share limited information with indexing and archiving services.
  

4. Security

• Industry-standard encryption and secure access controls are used.
  
• Users are responsible for safeguarding their account credentials.
  

5. Your Rights

• You may request access, correction, or deletion of your data by contacting us.
  

📦 Shipping Policy

Since our services are fully digital in nature, there are no physical shipments.

• Upon successful payment of Article Processing Charges (APC), your submission will be processed for peer review.
  
• Published articles will be made available online through open access.
  
• Notification emails will be sent to the author(s) confirming the status of their article.

📬 Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding our policies, please reach out:

Journal of Architecture and Theory
Website: https://architecture-theory.com
Email: joaatheory@gmail.com
Phone: +251965065555
Address: Jimma Road,Higher 24, Kebele 13, House No. 555, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

🔁 Cancellation and Refund Policy

We strive to ensure transparency in our payment and refund process.

1. Cancellations

• Authors may request cancellation of their submission before it enters peer review.

2. Refunds

• Refunds will not be provided once peer review has commenced.
  
• Refunds may be considered if:
  
  • The payment was made in error (duplicate transaction).
    
  • The manuscript is rejected before peer review begins.
    
• Approved refunds will be processed within 7–10 business days via the original mode of payment.

3. Non-Refundable Cases

• If the article is under review or published, APCs are non-refundable.
  
• No refunds for withdrawal initiated by the author after acceptance.