The Research and Publishing Program at Catholic Open University provides a formal, university-governed pathway for publishing original scholarly work. Approved publications receive academic recognition, global visibility, a DOI, and permanent archiving in the Catholic Open University Digital Library and recognized international repositories.
Purpose of This Program
The Research and Publishing Program provides a formal, university-authorized pathway for scholarly work to be academically reviewed, published, and permanently recorded.
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Many scholars and professionals produce valuable research and academic work but do not have access to recognized publishing channels. This program exists to provide academic review, editorial oversight, and official university publication.
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Approved works are published in the Catholic Open University Digital Library and indexed in recognized international scholarly repositories, ensuring global visibility, permanent preservation, and formal academic authorship recognition.
Program Overview
Program Name Research & Publishing Program
Program Type Academic Research & Publishing Program
Academic Year Open Enrollment (Year-Round)
Start Date Rolling Start (Upon Acceptance of Submission)
Duration Dependent on submission type and academic review process
Tuition & Fees
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Scholarly: $30 (Monthly payments – 1 Year enrollment)
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Advanced: $250 (Annual payment – 1 Year enrollment)
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Distinguished: $500 (One-time payment – Lifetime enrollment)
Publishing Format
Digital Publication in the Catholic Open University Digital Library & approved international scholarly repositories
Delivery Method 100% Online Submission and Academic Peer Review
Language Support English, Arabic, Spanish, and Italian
What You Can Publish
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Academic Articles
Academic articles are focused scholarly contributions that present analysis, interpretation, or conceptual discussion within an academic discipline. They are suitable for authors who wish to publish structured academic thinking, applied knowledge, or theoretical perspectives in a recognized academic format.
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Research Studies
Research studies are full-length academic works that include defined objectives, methodology, analysis, and scholarly findings. ​They are suitable for authors seeking deeper academic recognition and professional academic presence.
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All approved research studies and articles are formally published and assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI).
Publications permanently archived in the Catholic Open University Digital Library as an official academic record.
DOI Registered Academic Publishing
Every approved publication within the Research and Publishing Program is assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI).
A DOI establishes a publication as a permanent, citable academic record and distinguishes formal academic publishing from informal or self published platforms.​
DOI registration ensures that published work can be referenced, cited, indexed, and accessed reliably within international academic systems over time.
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This is a defining feature of institutional academic publishing.
Scholarly Infrastructure and Global Visibility
Approved publications are disseminated through established scholarly infrastructures, including Zenodo, OpenAIRE, and DataCite. These infrastructures support long-term preservation, international discoverability, standardized citation, and persistent academic access.
As a result, published authors gain visibility beyond a single platform and enter the global scholarly ecosystem.
Professional and Academic Value
Participation in the Research and Publishing Program provides students with:
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Formal academic publication
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Institutional recognition
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Global visibility
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Permanent scholarly record.
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For many participants, publication through this program represents a meaningful professional milestone and a transformation in how their work and expertise are presented publicly.
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Editorial capacity is managed to preserve academic standards and publishing quality.
Benefits of the Research & Publishing Program
✅ Formal Academic Publication
Approved works are formally published through an institutionally governed academic publishing process.
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✅ DOI Registered Publications
Every approved publication is assigned a Digital Object Identifier, creating a permanent and citable academic record.
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✅ Covered Publication Costs
Approved publications are published under the program framework with no extra cost and no hidden fees beyond enrollment.
✅ Catholic Open University’s Digital Library Archiving
All publications are permanently archived in Catholic Open University’s Digital Library.​​​
✅ Author Identity and Recognition
Each publication includes clear author attribution and institutional Catholic Open University affiliation.
✅ Global Scholarly Visibility
Publications are disseminated through recognized scholarly infrastructures for international discoverability.
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✅ External Academic Reach
Published work becomes visible beyond a single institution or community.​​​
✅ Search Engine Discoverability
Published works are structured for indexing across major search and academic platforms.
✅ Permanent Access and Hosting
Publications remain accessible as part of the university’s academic record.
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✅ Proper Academic Referencing
Works follow structured academic formatting and citation standards.
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✅ Easy Professional Sharing
Authors can share publications through direct links.
✅ Secure and Trusted Platform
Publishing is hosted within the official Catholic Open University academic environment.​​​
✅ Professional Academic Presentation
Publications are presented in a clean and formal university style.
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✅ Honorary Doctorate Degree Award Pathway
Students who meet the publishing criteria and whose work is approved and published may be considered for an Honorary Doctorate Degree Award based on academic merit.
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✅ Institutional Credibility
Publishing through a university framework enhances professional legitimacy and confidence.​​
Pathway to Honorary Doctorate Recognition
HONORARY DOCTORATES ARE ALWAYS
BASED ON PUBLISHED WORK • NOT AUTOMATIC • NOT PURCHASABLE
Honorary Doctorate Degree Award Pathway
Honorary Doctorate Degree Awards at Catholic Open University are granted only to individuals who meet the publishing criteria of the Research and Publishing Program and whose approved work is formally published.
The Honorary Doctorate Degree Award is an honorary academic distinction based on scholarly contribution and publication merit. It is not a taught degree and cannot be purchased under any circumstance.
Eligibility is evaluated only after successful publication and academic verification.
Invitation to Apply
Opportunities to publish through a formal university-governed academic publishing program are limited by editorial and academic capacity.
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If you have original scholarly work and are seeking a legitimate, recognized, and professionally respected path to academic publication, you are invited to apply to the Research and Publishing Program.
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Current Status: Open
Academic publishing slots are limited. Enrollment remains open only while review and editorial capacity permits.
Once published, your research becomes part of the permanent academic record of Catholic Open University.
The Digital Library serves as the official institutional repository for approved academic publications.
All works published through the Research and Publishing Program undergo academic review and are archived with persistent identifiers to ensure long-term scholarly access and citation integrity.
Global Open-Research Infrastructure Integration
Accreditation, Verification & Academic Framework
Catholic Open University | COU Research & Study Center within a transparent academic and quality-assurance framework consistent with Catholic higher education values and internationally recognized best practices.
Institutional Accreditation & Recognition
Catholic Open University / COU Research and Study Center is currently accredited by the Global Accreditation Council for Online Learning (GACOL), a recognized private international quality-assurance and accreditation body specializing in online higher-education institutions.
Certification ID: GACOL-3257 / Accreditation ID: 3257-001.
Catholic Open University / COU Research and Study Center is also recognized by the World Catholic Online Education Association (WCOEA) as a trusted provider of Catholic higher education that upholds international standards of academic integrity, institutional mission, and educational quality.
Alignment with International Quality Assurance Frameworks
Catholic Open University is accredited by a recognized private international quality-assurance authority specializing in online higher-education institutions and private universities. In parallel, the University actively reviews and benchmarks its internal academic quality-assurance policies against widely respected international higher-education standards.
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These benchmark reference standards include frameworks and best-practice guidance associated with bodies such as the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA, United States) and the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR, Europe), which are cited strictly for comparative and reference purposes only. No claim of direct accreditation, recognition, affiliation, or endorsement by these bodies is made.
​Any updates related to external recognition or quality-assurance alignment are communicated only after formal confirmation and official institutional publication.
Status of Postgraduate Programs
It must be clearly understood that any institution claiming to issue officially recognized academic degrees without the required legal authorization and recognition applicable within its jurisdiction may be engaging in misleading or unlawful academic practice. Accordingly, Catholic Open University’s postgraduate degree programs are temporarily closed for admission and will open only after the completion of the required external quality-assurance and recognition processes necessary for postgraduate-level academic offerings.
Ethical Standards for Honorary Doctorate Awards
The programs currently offered by Catholic Open University, including the Research & Publishing Program and the Honorary Doctorate Degree Award, operate fully within the scope of the University’s existing accreditation and recognition status. The Honorary Doctorate Degree Award constitutes an honorary academic distinction granted in recognition of significant scholarly, professional, and publishing contributions and does not represent an earned academic qualification for employment purposes. Under the University’s current accreditation framework, these offerings are academically ethical, legally compliant, transparent, and institutionally appropriate.
This framework is publicly accessible to ensure transparency, accountability, and academic integrity.
Ethical Standards for Honorary Doctorate Degrees
Any institution offering honorary doctorate degrees for sale or in exchange for money is engaging in unethical and misleading academic practice, and any individual who purchases such a title risks serious consequences, including significant reputational damage. Honorary doctorate degrees are never intended to be sold under any circumstances.
At Catholic Open University, the Honorary Doctorate is strictly an academic award granted to individuals who demonstrate outstanding publishing achievement through the Research & Publishing Program. The purpose of this award is to recognize excellence, motivate scholars and professionals to contribute meaningful research, and formally highlight their academic contributions within the Catholic Open University Digital Library.
Catholic Open University does not sell honorary doctorates, nor does it request or accept payment in exchange for receiving an honorary distinction. Program fees apply solely to participation in the Research & Publishing Program as an academic publishing and research development service. The Honorary Doctorate award itself is granted at no cost, with no direct fees and no hidden charges.
This is why Catholic Open University stands as a transparent, ethical, and trusted academic institution for the recognition of honorary doctorate awards online.