About the Journal

About the Journal

GiST – Education and Learning Research Journal is a peer-reviewed, open-access academic journal dedicated to disseminating high-quality research in education and learning, with a particular focus on language education, bilingual education, and teacher education.

The journal’s name, Gist, refers to “the essence or core of a matter.” This concept reflects GiST’s commitment to publishing research that contributes meaningfully to academic knowledge, educational practice, and societal development through rigorous analysis, critical reflection, and pedagogical relevance.

GiST promotes international dialogue and diversity of perspectives. Recent issues have included contributions from researchers based in Latin America, North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, reflecting the journal’s commitment to global scholarly exchange.

Publisher and Institutional Context

GiST is published by the Publications Office of Institución Universitaria Colombo Americana – ÚNICA, a private, non-profit higher education institution based in Bogotá, Colombia, specializing in teacher education and Spanish–English bilingualism.

Founded in 2004 as a social responsibility initiative by Grupo Bolívar in partnership with the Centro Colombo Americano, ÚNICA is committed to improving educational quality and redefining the role of teachers in Colombia. GiST supports this mission by fostering rigorous, ethical, and internationally oriented scholarly publishing.

Editorial decisions at GiST are made independently of the sponsoring institution and are based solely on academic merit, relevance to the journal’s scope, and compliance with ethical standards.

Focus and Scope

GiST publishes original research and scholarly contributions in the field of bilingual education, with a particular focus on:

  • Bilingual and multilingual education across educational contexts.
  • Language education in bilingual and plurilingual settings.
  • Teacher education and professional development for bilingual education.
  • Pedagogical innovation and instructional practices in bilingual language teaching and learning.
  • Critical, reflective, and empirical studies addressing educational processes in bilingual contexts.

The journal welcomes contributions from diverse methodological and theoretical perspectives, provided they demonstrate academic rigor and clear relevance to bilingual education.

Publication Frequency

  • GiST publishes two issues per year, in June and December.
  • Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.
  • Occasionally, GiST may issue Calls for Papers to highlight specific themes or emerging areas of research.

Open Access Policy

GiST is an open-access journal. All articles are freely available in PDF format through the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform. The journal does not charge article processing fees (APCs).

Diamond Open Access

GiST is firmly committed to fostering an ethical and responsible scholarly publishing environment as a Diamond Open Access journal. In this model, neither authors nor readers are charged any fees, eliminating financial barriers and ensuring equitable access to knowledge. The journal operates through peer review and institutional support rather than transactional costs such as article processing charges (APCs), and aligning with the most inclusive standards in academic publishing.

Indexing and Visibility

GiST is currently indexed in and listed by several national and international databases and directories, including:

  • MLA – Modern Language Association.
  • ERA – Educational Research Abstracts.
  • Linguistics Abstracts Online.
  • ERIC – Education Resources Information Center.
  • CLASE – Citas Latinoamericanas en Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades.
  • ProQuest CSA.
  • EBSCO Host.
  • Dialnet.
  • REDIB.
  • DOAJ – Directory of Open Access Journals.
  • ESCI – Emerging Sources Citation Index.
  • Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory.

Copyright and Licensing

Prior to January 2026, GiST content was governed by the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND license. Under this license, users were permitted to copy and share the material in its original form for noncommercial purposes, provided that appropriate credit was granted to the creator. Modification or adaptation of the content was prohibited.

As of January 2026, GiST content is licensed under the Creative Commons CC BY-NC license. This license permits users to share, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any format for noncommercial purposes, provided that credit is attributed to the creator.

Each article must be cited and used in accordance with its publication date and the applicable Creative Commons license.

Archiving and Preservation

GiST ensures long-term digital preservation of its content through Portico.

All published articles are assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) via Crossref to ensure uninterrupted access and reliable citation. In accordance with national regulations, legal deposit is made at the National Library of Colombia and the Library of Congress of the Republic of Colombia. Additionally, two physical copies of each issue are preserved at ÚNICA.

Ethical Standards and Publication Integrity

GiST adheres to internationally recognized standards of publication ethics and research integrity. Procedures for handling complaints are outlined on the Publication and Post-Publication Procedures page, while the journal’s ethical principles and guidelines are detailed on the Ethics page.

Since 2025, GiST has not published any work by authors or academics affiliated with ÚNICA, except for contributions to the Book Review section. In line with this policy, reviewers affiliated with ÚNICA may participate only in cases of reviewer disagreement or when assessing book reviews.

These measures are intended to safeguard editorial independence and ensure the highest standards of academic integrity.

Special Considerations

In line with UNICA’s policy on inclusion and diversity, GiST recognizes that authors or reviewers located in conflict or war-affected regions may face significant limitations in accessing the journal’s online platforms. In such cases, the editors of GiST will seek to provide reasonable support and flexible arrangements to facilitate their participation in the editorial and peer-review processes, aiming to reduce unnecessary barriers to scholarly collaboration. Any alternative procedures implemented must be properly documented and registered in the OJS system, supported by materials such as email correspondence or other relevant records. This documentation shall be uploaded to the system by the editor and the editorial team in charge to ensure transparency and traceability.