JFSA Managing Editors, Aleksandra Dimitrova & Benjamin Ellul: How The JFSA Is “Bridging Research and Regulation”

Managing Editors of the Journal of Financial Services Authority (JFSA), Aleksandra Dimitrova and Benjamin Ellul, discuss the vision behind the JFSA, reflecting on its role in connecting academic scholarship with the evolving realities of financial supervision. From digital finance and crypto-asset regulation to supervisory independence and global uncertainty, they explore how the journal is fostering international dialogue, encouraging interdisciplinary research, and positioning Malta as a growing centre of regulatory thought leadership.

Q1. The JFSA occupies a distinctive space in academic publishing, positioning itself at the intersection of regulatory practice and scholarly research. What was the rationale behind establishing a journal of this kind within a national supervisory authority? - Aleksandra Dimitrova: From the beginning, the rationale behind the establishment of the JFSA was centred around the need to create a platform capable of fostering stronger dialogue between academic research and the practical realities of financial supervision. Financial regulation and supervision continue to evolve at a significant pace, influenced by technological innovation, geopolitical developments, emerging risks, and increasingly interconnected markets. Within this environment, we considered it important to establish a publication that could support more reflective, research-driven discussions on the challenges shaping the sector.

As an editorial team, we wanted the journal to provide a space where supervisory perspectives, academic analysis, and industry insights could coexist in a meaningful and constructive manner. Supervisory authorities are often at the forefront of identifying emerging vulnerabilities and observing structural market developments, while academia provides the analytical depth and critical perspective necessary to examine these issues more broadly. The JFSA was therefore designed to bridge these dimensions and encourage contributions that are both intellectually robust and operationally relevant.

More broadly, the journal also reflects a commitment towards strengthening knowledge-sharing, encouraging interdisciplinary discussion, and contributing to the development of supervisory thinking within an increasingly complex financial environment.

Q2. Volume I addressed themes including digital finance, capital markets, supervisory independence, and crypto-asset regulation. How does the editorial team ensure that the subject matter reflects both current supervisory priorities and longer-term academic relevance? – Benjamin Ellul: 

As an editorial team, our objective is to strike a careful balance between addressing the immediate priorities facing financial supervisors and exploring the longer-term structural developments shaping the financial services landscape.

For Volume I, we intentionally selected themes such as digital finance, market integrity, supervisory independence, and crypto-asset regulation because these are not only highly relevant in today’s environment but also raise broader questions with lasting academic and policy significance.

Through our editorial and peer review process, we assess contributions not only for academic rigour, but also for originality, practical relevance, and their potential to contribute meaningfully to supervisory thinking over the long term.

Q3. The JFSA is published on an open-access basis and is intended to serve a broad readership spanning supervisors, policymakers, academics, and practitioners. How does the journal balance academic rigour with accessibility? – Aleksandra Dimitrova: As an editorial team, we place significant importance on ensuring that the journal maintains strong academic standards while remaining accessible to a readership that extends beyond purely academic circles. Financial supervision is an area where theory, policy, and operational practice intersect continuously, and therefore the value of research is often determined not only by its academic quality, but also by its ability to contribute meaningfully to broader regulatory and supervisory discussions.

Through the editorial and peer review process, submissions are assessed for academic integrity, analytical depth, originality, and methodological quality, while also considering their clarity, structure, and practical relevance. We actively encourage contributions that can address complex themes in a manner that remains coherent and engaging for supervisors, policymakers, practitioners, and researchers alike.

The decision to adopt an open-access model was also aligned with the journal’s broader objective of encouraging wider accessibility and international knowledge exchange. By making the journal publicly available, we aim to facilitate broader engagement with emerging supervisory and regulatory topics, while supporting collaboration across institutions, jurisdictions, and professional disciplines.

Q4. Volume II, titled Navigating Complexity: Supervision, Innovation, and Global Uncertainty in Financial Services, is currently progressing through the editorial process. What themes and perspectives has the editorial team been particularly keen to see explored in this edition?-Benjamin Ellul:

Volume II reflects the increasingly complex environment in which financial supervisors now operate. As an editorial team, we were particularly keen to receive contributions that explore how supervision can remain effective in a rapidly evolving global landscape, shaped by technological innovation, economic uncertainty, and growing international interconnectedness.

More broadly, we have been looking for contributions that combine strong academic rigour with practical relevance, while also challenging conventional thinking and offering fresh perspectives that can support supervisors, policymakers, and industry alike.

Ultimately, Volume II is about contributing to the wider conversation on how financial supervision can continue to evolve in an increasingly uncertain and interconnected world.

Q5. The presentation of Volume I to the President of Malta was a significant milestone for the journal. What does the establishment of the JFSA signify for Malta's broader standing as a centre of regulatory expertise? – Aleksandra Dimitrova:

The presentation of Volume I to the President of Malta represented an important moment for the journal and, more broadly, for Malta’s evolving role within the international regulatory and financial services landscape. The establishment of the JFSA reflects an ambition to contribute not only to supervisory practice, but also to the wider intellectual and policy discussions shaping the future of financial regulation and supervision.

As an editorial team, we view the journal as a reflection of the growing importance of research, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing within modern supervisory environments. The publication demonstrates that Malta is capable of contributing to international discussions on financial supervision through academic engagement, critical analysis, and thought leadership on issues that carry both domestic and cross-border significance.

At the same time, the JFSA highlights the value of collaboration between supervisory authorities, academic institutions, and industry professionals. By bringing together diverse perspectives and encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue, the journal contributes towards strengthening Malta’s position as a jurisdiction that actively supports regulatory innovation, supervisory development, and international engagement within the financial services sector.