A huge congratulations to the first journals reaching the top level (Three Stars) in the Journal Publishing Practices and Standards (JPPS) framework, an internationally recognised set of criteria designed to strengthen journal practices and help readers and authors trust what they read and publish.

Special recognition: 

• Mizan Law Review, published by St. Mary’s University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which has worked consistently and diligently to achieve three JPPS stars.
• South African Journal of Science, a longstanding cornerstone of South African scientific research, published by the Academy of Science of South Africa. 
• Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science, which has consistently worked towards meeting requirements for the JPPS three-star tier.

Why this matters: AJOL introduced JPPS after recognising how often inclusion on AJOL was being treated as a proxy for quality, and responded by “stepping up” a clearer quality assurance approach through JPPS. This ensures that AJOL is not only a platform for visibility, but also a trusted gateway to credible, high-quality African scholarship.