It’s International Open Access Week – find out about the new UoD Open Access journal in this guest blog from Professor Divya Jindal-Snape

Launch of the open access International Journal of Educational and Life Transitions (IJELT)

Transformative Change: Educational and Life Transitions (TCELT) research centre is an international, interdisciplinary centre. TCELT’s vision is to have an impact on international research, policy and practice in the context of educational and life transitions, and their implications for well-being through an international network of researchers, professionals and communities. Therefore, it established its International Network of Transitions Researchers (TCELT-INTR) which comprises a range of national and international members from across the disciplines and sectors. We are working together to make transition experiences as positive as possible by disseminating high quality research that enhances the understanding of the transition process that individuals, families, groups and communities go through, including creation of high quality innovative resources.

Graphic image from Lost, and Found, In Transitions comic. Script by Anj Snape and Divya Jindal-Snape, Artwork by Ashling Larkin.
Graphic Description: High school student wearing a T-shirt signed by her peers with a speech bubble with the words, ‘Schools are being closed! Today is the last day of High School – EVER!’ A calender at the top of the graphic is pictured with the date March 2020 at the top. In the middle of the graphic five high school students are sitting on the ground in a circle next to a stream, chatting and looking worried. To the right of the graphic a close up shot of the original student with a speech bubble, ‘I know we shouldn’t be in a group but it was important for me to see my friends. I didn’t know when we’d all be together again.’

This has led to a strong commitment to making high quality transitions research accessible to everyone by making it open access and presented in various formats. This led to the rapid production of COVID-19 and transitions research and practice, available through our open access blogs, monthly research seminars, informal conversations with experts (Transitions Community Compass), open access comics, twitter based #TransitionsLibrary and the recently launched journal.

Graphic image from the University Lives in Transition, a comic scripted by Jonathan Glazzard, Samuel Stones, Divya Jindal-Snape and Chris Murray. Artwork by Catriona Laird.
First graphic: Side view of a female academic staring at laptop screen with the words, Staff should work from home where feasible. Thought bubble from the academic, ‘This is serious. I wonder how this will affect our students?’ Second graphic: Facing forward the same academic is staring at a laptop with the icon of an email shown above. Third graphic: Close up view of laptop screen with an email message heading, COVID-19, Message from Vice Chancellor. Message reads, The campus is closing until further notice and access to University buildings is not permitted. A further email can be seen with the message, We will be participating in Government’s job retention scheme furlough.

The International Journal of Educational and Life Transitions (IJELT) is an international peer reviewed journal which publishes articles and multimedia outputs of interest to researchers, practitioners and policy makers in the field of educational and life transitions across the world.

International Journal of Educational and Life Transitions (IJELT) logo

IJELT is interdisciplinary in approach, and publishes research studies (theoretical, conceptual, methodological and empirical), policy reviews, literature reviews, and multi-media and creative outputs. Multi-media can also be embedded in the articles. Research involving more than one discipline, sector (e.g., academic and practitioner) and/or nation are particularly encouraged.

Sponsored by the University of Dundee and created in partnership with Research Services – Library and Learning Centre (LLC), IJELT will provide immediate open access post-acceptance of a paper as we strongly believe in making our research freely available internationally. We are providing opportunities to publish in a range of formats, including multi-media as we are committed to reaching different stakeholders. The article processing charges (APCs) are funded by the University of Dundee due to its commitment to ensure that authors from across the world can publish excellent research without APCs becoming a hindrance.

IJELT has an international editorial board which includes senior and early career academics, including doctoral students; practitioners and policy makers.

IJELT is accepting articles and we look forward to receiving yours. Please check our submission guidelines.

Professor Divya Jindal-Snape FAcSS
Director, TCELT
Editor-in-Chief, IJELT