1. General

These Terms and Conditions govern participation in the Qualitative Research Design Competition (QRDC). By registering, submitting materials, or making payment, participants agree to comply with and be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

2. Eligibility

QRDC is open to local and international participants under the following categories:

• Student Researchers

• Academics

• Practitioners

Participants must ensure they register under the correct category. The organiser reserves the right to reassign or disqualify entries submitted under an incorrect category.

3. Registration Information

Participants are required to provide accurate, complete, and truthful information during registration.

QRDC reserves the right to verify participant information for administrative, evaluation, certification, or audit purposes.

4. Fees and Payment

Participation in QRDC is subject to payment of the prescribed registration fee. All fees must be paid in full before a submission is considered valid.

• All payments are non-refundable once processed.

• Proof of payment may be required for verification.

• QRDC is not responsible for failed or delayed transactions caused by third-party platforms.

5. Submission of Materials

Participants must submit all required documents in the prescribed format and before the stated deadline.

• Late submissions will not be accepted.

• Only original work is permitted.

• Submissions must not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights.

6. Intellectual Property

Intellectual property rights remain with the participant. However, by participating in QRDC, participants grant the organiser a non-exclusive, royalty-free right to use submission materials for academic, educational, reporting, or promotional purposes with proper attribution.

7. Evaluation and Results

Submissions are evaluated by appointed panels based on published criteria. The decision of the evaluation panel is final. No correspondence regarding scores or results will be entertained.

8. Certificates and Awards

Certificates and awards will be issued only to participants who have complied fully with these Terms and Conditions. QRDC reserves the right to revoke certificates in cases of misconduct, misrepresentation, or academic dishonesty.

9. Ethics and Academic Integrity

Participants must adhere to principles of academic integrity, research ethics, and responsible scholarship. Any form of plagiarism, falsification, fabrication, or unethical practice will result in immediate disqualification.

10. Limitation of Liability

QRDC shall not be liable for any loss, damage, or inconvenience arising from participation in the competition, including but not limited to technical issues, system failures, or third-party service disruptions.

11. Amendments

QRDC reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions at any time without prior notice. Any updates will be published on the official QRDC website.

12. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Malaysia.