THE COMPLEX WORK OF EDITORIAL MANAGEMENT AND SCIENTIFIC QUALITY

Abstract

Editorial

Volume 15, Issue 1 of La Saeta Universitaria: Academic and Research Journal is now published, and the first thing to do on this occasion is to express our gratitude: Thank you!

This expression of thanks is dedicated especially to the 36 reviewers who, serving as anonymous peer reviewers, carefully evaluated the 28 manuscripts submitted for this issue.

Peer review is always a demanding task, as reviewers must find time amid the many responsibilities of their own research and academic activities. This challenge became even greater because several manuscripts underwent more than two rounds of review, and in some cases reviewers made an additional effort to complete re-evaluations within a very short period.

On this occasion, the availability of certain resources also affected the review and editorial process. Specifically, updates to the Open Journal System (OJS) and changes to the security settings of the servers made the entire editorial workflow more complex than usual.

For this reason, we would also like to thank each and every author who submitted a manuscript. Their patience and respect for the editorial process were greatly appreciated despite the circumstances described above.

Turning now to Volume 15, Issue 1 (January 2026 – June 2026), this issue features nine published manuscripts that once again reflect the multidisciplinary nature of the journal—another characteristic that adds to its editorial complexity. Contributions come from Argentina (one article), Chile (one article) involving authors from four universities, including one in Finland, Spain (one article) in collaboration with a university in Portugal, and Paraguay (six articles).

Most of these nine contributions fall within the field of Social Sciences according to the Frascati Manual classification, while addressing topics in Psychology, Economics, International Trade, Teacher Education, Educational Innovation, and Curriculum Studies. The articles accepted for publication are summarized below:

1. From Argentina, Hary Emanuel Liedtke, Sonia Noemí Chemisquy, and Carlos Maximiliano Gonçalves, in their article "Academic Procrastination and Its Relationship with Coping Strategies among University Students in the City of Posadas, Misiones," contribute to a better understanding of academic procrastination by analyzing variables such as gender, year of study, and the coping strategies adopted by students.

2. From Paraguay, Noelia Soledad Benítez Pereira and María Antonella Cabral López, in "Paraguay's Foreign Trade: What Effects Would Bolivia's Accession as a Full Member of MERCOSUR Have?", identify how Bolivia's accession could benefit Paraguay's foreign trade.

3. Roger Román Armoa García and Marcelo Echagüe Pastore, also from Paraguay, present "A Quantitative and Interpretative Analysis of Public Investment in Paraguay during the Period 2020–2025." Their findings show that public investment experienced several peak periods while maintaining an overall sustained trend, highlighting the need for the Paraguayan government and the media to provide accurate information regarding the causes of seasonal fluctuations.

4. In "Professional Practice in Initial Teacher Education: Perceptions of Mentors in Paraguayan Training Schools," José María Castillo Vega (Paraguay) reports that mentors hold a generally positive view of the practicum, although certain limitations—particularly regarding training—should be addressed to further enhance satisfaction.

5. "Educational Innovation through Augmented Reality for the Understanding of Abstract Concepts in Engineering," by Anabel Luz Escobar González, María del Carmen Escobar González, Víctor Manuel Melgarejo Riveros, and Héctor Ramiro Estigarribia Barreto (Paraguay), demonstrates that the use of Augmented Reality significantly increased students' motivation and improved their understanding of complex engineering concepts.

6. Competency-Based Education continues to be the subject of ongoing debate. This discussion is addressed in "Professional Competencies and Sustainability in Dispute: A Critical Analysis from Agricultural and Forestry Biosystems Education." Authored by researchers from several Chilean universities together with a Finnish institution, the study identifies tensions between the technocratic paradigm of competency-based education and the need for more holistic, contextualized, and emancipatory educational approaches.

7. School feeding programs remain at the center of public debate in Paraguay. José Antonio Rojas Caballero contributes to this discussion through "Participation of MSMEs in School Feeding Programs in Paraguay: A Study of the 2018–2024 Period." The study reveals a high concentration of suppliers that are not micro, small, or medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), suggesting that existing regulations should be revised to facilitate greater participation by this sector.

8. Job performance is influenced by a wide range of factors. Ernesto Simari (Paraguay), in "Personal Finances and Their Influence on the Job Performance of Employees at Universidad Centro Médico Bautista and Centro Médico Bautista in 2025," confirms the significant impact of personal financial management on employee performance and advocates for institutional strategies aimed at debt management support and policies that promote greater financial stability among staff.

9. From Spain and Portugal, Mario Viché González, Cristiana P. Madureira, and Nerea Hernaiz Agreda, in "A Pedagogy of Dignity: Pathways toward a Convivial Education," propose socio-educational strategies that foster collaborative learning and support the transformation of educational institutions into spaces of coexistence structured around experiential self-learning, shared representations, and meaningful narratives.

To conclude this editorial, we once again extend our sincere gratitude to the reviewers for their rigor, professionalism, and commitment throughout the peer-review process, as well as to all the authors who entrusted our journal with the dissemination of their research findings.