1. Aims and Scope

This journal focuses on key scientific questions and challenges in the field of urban science and engineering. Particular attention is given to topics including urban complex giant system, urban safety and resilience, urban regeneration and sustainable development, climate change and the urban environment, digital twins and smart cities, and urban governance.

 

2. Article Types

The journal accepts the following types of manuscripts:

·  Research Articles: Comprehensive reports of original research (typically within 10,000 words).

·  Review Articles: Critical and in-depth overviews of recent major developments in a specific field, with comprehensive references and a balanced perspective (typically within 15,000 words).

·  Views & Comments: Well-argued and forward-looking perspectives addressing major strategic issues in engineering and technology.

·  Feature Articles: Articles in which senior scholars systematically summarize the representative work of their research teams, highlighting the evolution of research ideas and the logic of innovation.

·  Perspective Articles: Concise articles focusing on emerging directions, presenting recent advances while offering forward-looking insights or distinctive viewpoints.

·  Protocols: Standardized experimental or research procedures presented in the form of an operational manual, providing step-by-step methods with high reproducibility.

 

3. Manuscript Preparation

3.1 Manuscript Structure

Manuscripts should be organized in the following order: Title; Author names and affiliations (including professional email addresses); Abstract; Keywords (3–8); Main text (following a logical structure such as Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions); Acknowledgements (indicating funding sources and acknowledging contributors who do not meet authorship criteria); References; Appendices.

 

3.2 Tables, Figures, and Illustrations

·  Quality: All figures must be clear and legible. Recommended formats include TIFF, EPS, or JPEG. Minimum resolution requirements are: 300 DPI for color images, 500 DPI for black-and-white images, and 1000 DPI for line drawings.

·  Placement: Tables and figures should be embedded in the text near their first citation or uploaded as separate files. All tables and figures must be numbered sequentially in the text (e.g., Table 1, Figure 1).

3.3 References

References must be numbered in the order in which they appear in the text. All references cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and vice versa. Complete bibliographic information must be provided.

 

4. Submission Process

4.1 Submission Checklist

·  Manuscript file (including title, authors, abstract, keywords, main text, references, tables, and figures)

·  Figure files (if uploaded separately)

·  Cover letter (optional but recommended to explain the significance of the research)

·  Supplementary materials (if any)

·  Conflict of interest statement form (if required)

·  Suggested reviewers: names, affiliations, and email addresses of 3–5 potential reviewers (optional)

 

4.2 Registration and Manuscript Submission

All manuscripts must be submitted through the online submission system: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/engc.

 

First-time users must register an account. After logging in, go to the Author Center and click “Start New Submission” to begin the submission process. The submission typically includes seven steps:

 

Step 1: Enter basic manuscript information, including manuscript type, title, short title (if required), and abstract. Save and proceed to the next step.

 

Step 2: Upload manuscript files. Authors should upload the main document as well as figures and supplementary materials, and specify file types in the dropdown menu. The system will generate a PDF/HTML proof for verification.

 

Step 3: Provide manuscript attributes such as keywords, which may be selected from the system list or entered manually.

 

Step 4: Enter author and affiliation information, designate the corresponding author, and add co-authors with their affiliations via email search or manual entry (each author must provide an email address).

 

Step 5: Provide information on recommended or opposed reviewers, including names, email addresses, and affiliations.

 

Step 6: Provide additional submission information, such as the cover letter, funding information, grant numbers, and responses to any journal-specific questions.

 

Step 7: Final check and submission. The system will verify that all required fields are completed. Authors should review the generated PDF/HTML proof and confirm its accuracy before clicking Submit. A submission confirmation will then be provided.

 

5. Ethical Policies

·  Originality and Plagiarism Check: Submissions must be original and must not have been previously published or simultaneously submitted to other journals. All manuscripts will be screened using professional plagiarism-detection software. High similarity may result in immediate rejection.

·  Multiple Submission: Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously is unethical and unacceptable.

·  Data Fabrication: Any form of data manipulation or fabrication is considered serious academic misconduct.

·  Authorship: Only individuals who have made significant scientific contributions to the research should be listed as authors. Any changes to authorship (addition, removal, or order changes) must be requested before manuscript acceptance and confirmed in writing by all authors.

·  Inclusive Language: Manuscripts should use inclusive language that respects diversity and avoids bias or stereotypes related to gender, race, ethnicity, or other characteristics.

·  Use of Generative AI: If generative AI or AI-assisted tools are used during manuscript preparation, this must be disclosed in the manuscript. Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the content, and AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

·  Conflict of Interest Disclosure: All authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

 

6. Peer Review Process

All manuscripts must be submitted through the journal’s online submission system. After an initial editorial screening, manuscripts will enter a single-blind peer review process, typically evaluated by at least two experts. The final decision on acceptance or rejection is made by the editor.