Research & Publishing Program

A structured academic pathway for research, peer review, and institutional publication.

An academic publishing pathway enabling scholars and professionals to publish peer-reviewed research through the Catholic Open University Research & Study Center.

Published research is permanently archived in the Catholic Open University Digital Library as an official academic record.

Empowering Scholars to Publish and Inspire

The Research & Publishing Program at Catholic Open University enables scholars and professionals to publish original, peer-reviewed research through the Research & Study Center, with official archiving in the Digital Library as a recognized academic contribution.

Program Overview

Participants receive structured support to prepare, review, and publish their studies. Once approved, each work is officially published in the Digital Library, issued with official publication details, and preserved for global academic accessibility.

This program enables scholars and professionals to publish original academic work through a structured, ethical, and institutionally recognized publishing process.

Program Name Research & Publishing Program

Program Type Academic Research & Publishing Program

Academic Year Open Enrollment (Year-Round)

Start Date Flexible (Upon Acceptance of Submission)

Duration Dependent on submission type and academic review stage

Tuition & Fees

Scholarly: $30 (Monthly payments – 1 Year enrollment)
Advanced: $250 (Annual payment – 1 Year enrollment)
Distinguished: $500 (One-time payment – Lifetime enrollment)

Publishing Format Digital Publication in COU Research & Study Center Archives & COU Digital Library

Delivery Method 100% Online Submission & Peer Review

Language Support English, Arabic, Spanish, and Italian

Who Can Apply

Independent researchers or postgraduate students.
COU student members and registered contributors.
Professionals submitting completed research, theses, articles or dissertations.

Benefits of Publishing with the COU Research & Study Center

✅ Free of Charge Publish

Publish your work at no extra cost. (For COU Students & Members.)

✅ Full Rights to Your Published Work.

You own your content. We’re just here to spotlight it and help it reach the world.

✅ Author Profiles

Your name, specialty, and COU ID will be attached to every work you publish. Building your reputation and enhancing your professional image.

✅ Honorary Doctorate Award

After successfully publishing your research study or article with the COU Research & Study Center, authors may formally apply for consideration of the Honorary Doctorate Award, granted in recognition of distinguished academic excellence and scholarly contribution.

✅ COU Recognition

Your research gains prestige with official COU acknowledgment.

✅ Easy Sharing

Share your work instantly via direct links, PDFs, or social media.

✅ Professional Presentation

Your research will be published in a clean, well-designed layout that reflects your professionalism.

✅ External Academic Reach

Open the door to collaboration and recognition beyond the COU community.

✅ Search Engine Visibility

Your work will be indexed by Google and other major search engines for global discoverability.

✅ Permanent Hosting

Your publication stays online. No expiration or removal unless you request it.

✅ Citable Format

Each study includes proper referencing, making it easy to cite in future work.

✅ Secure & Trusted Platform

Hosted on COU’s official site. Secure, accredited, credible, and built for professionals.

How to Apply

Students can apply now and enroll in the Research & Publishing Program.
To begin, choose a suitable plan from the Admissions → Publishing Program Plans & Fees section.

Once the student is officially registered in one of the Research & Publishing programs, our Admissions Team will begin processing the file.

The registration procedure at COU may take up to three (3) working days to complete.

After the administrative process is finalized, the student will receive an Official COU Student ID, granting full access to the Student Portal and to the publishing services included in the program.

Application Steps

Students who wish to participate in the Research & Publishing Program may follow the steps below to complete their official enrollment:

1. Select a Program Plan

Visit the Admissions → Publishing Program Plans & Fees section to review and select the plan that corresponds to your academic objectives and research needs.

2. Submit the Application Form and Pay the Admission Fees
Complete the online application and provide the required personal and academic information, along with any supporting documents requested by the Admissions Office. Proceed to pay the admission fees corresponding to your selected plan.

Note: The published fees represent the total cost of enrollment in the selected program, and the University does not impose any additional or undisclosed charges.

The admission fees include the official COU registration and admission processing, issuance of the COU Student ID Card, and full access to the Research & Publishing Program services.

3. Administrative Processing

Upon submission, the Admissions Department will initiate the verification and registration procedures.
The official registration process at COU generally requires up to three (3) working days to finalize.

4. Issuance of Official Student Identification
Once administrative approval is complete, an Official COU Student ID will be issued, confirming the applicant’s enrollment in the program.

5. Access to Student Portal and Publishing Services
After activation of the Student ID, participants may access the COU Student Portal and begin utilizing the research and publishing services associated with their selected program.

Apply Now

Academic publishing preserves knowledge and contributes to the permanent scholarly record

Research and Publishing Program FAQs

1. What is the Catholic Open University Research & Publishing Program?

The Catholic Open University Research & Publishing Program is a structured academic pathway designed to help authors, researchers, and professionals transform original ideas and studies into formally reviewed and officially published scholarly work.

All approved submissions are published by the Catholic Open University Research & Study Center and permanently archived in the Catholic Open University Digital Library, allowing authors to create a lasting, verifiable academic contribution with global visibility.

2. What types of work can be published through the program?

The program welcomes a wide range of academic and professional outputs, including research articles, full research studies, scholarly essays, reflective papers, applied research, and case studies.

All submissions must be original, ethically produced, and aligned with the academic and moral standards of Catholic Open University, while contributing meaningfully to knowledge, professional practice, or society.

3. Who can apply to the Research & Publishing Program?

The program is open to students, researchers, academics, professionals, and first-time authors from around the world.

Admission is based on the quality, originality, and academic potential of the submitted work, not on prior degrees, titles, or institutional affiliations.

4. What are the main benefits of publishing with the Catholic Open University Research & Study Center?

Publishing through the program provides official publication status, permanent inclusion in the Catholic Open University Digital Library, enhanced international visibility, and supportive academic and editorial review.

These benefits help strengthen academic credibility and can support future study pathways, professional advancement, and formal recognition.

5. How do I enroll in the Catholic Open University Research & Publishing Program?

Enrollment in the Catholic Open University Research and Publishing Program is simple and fully online.
Applicants begin by visiting the official Publishing Plans page and selecting the publishing tier that best matches their academic goals.

After choosing the appropriate plan, applicants complete the online application form and submit the required program fees. The admissions team then completes the administrative and academic paperwork. Once this process is finalized, applicants receive a verified student number, an official student profile, and a student identification card, which grants full access to the publishing system.

6. What happens after enrollment, and how do I start publishing my work?

Once admission is confirmed, students receive secure access to the student portal. This portal is the central space where all publishing activities take place.

Through the portal, students can upload research articles or full research studies for academic and editorial review by the Catholic Open University Research and Study Center. Approved work moves forward to final formatting and official publication, after which it is permanently archived in the Catholic Open University Digital Library.

7. What is the cost of the Research and Publishing Program?

The Catholic Open University Research and Publishing Program is offered through transparent and clearly structured publishing plans, allowing applicants to choose the option that best fits their academic needs and publishing goals.

The available publishing plans are:

The Scholarly Plan costs 30 US dollars per month and covers a one year enrollment period with monthly payments.
The Advanced Plan costs 250 US dollars per year and covers a one year enrollment period with a single annual payment.
The Distinguished Plan costs 500 US dollars as a one time payment and provides lifetime academic access and enrollment.

Each plan includes defined academic processing, publishing services, and access to the student publishing system. Full plan details and inclusions are clearly presented on the official Publishing Plans page before enrollment.

8. Is the Research & Publishing Program only for experienced academics?

No. The program welcomes first-time authors, students, professionals, researchers, and experienced academics alike.

What matters most is the quality, originality, and impact of the submitted work, not the applicant’s academic background.

9. How will my published research be accessed and preserved?

All published work is permanently archived in the Catholic Open University Digital Library, ensuring long-term preservation, academic visibility, and accessibility for citation, reference, and scholarly sharing worldwide.

10. Can I receive an Honorary Doctorate Degree Award after publishing through the Research & Publishing Program?

Yes. Once an applicant meets all official publishing criteria and their work is approved and published by the Catholic Open University Research & Study Center, eligibility for the Honorary Doctorate Degree Award is established.

The award is academic in nature, based solely on publishing accomplishment and merit, and follows a formal institutional review process.

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.

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.