Jason Arday has resigned from his professorship at the University of Cambridge after allegations of plagiarism and questions about his academic qualifications. A group of Cambridge academics is now demanding an independent inquiry into how he was appointed.
Arday stepped down with immediate effect, according to DR. The Danish broadcaster reports that the resignation followed a series of allegations, including plagiarism and doubts about his academic credentials.
Arday was appointed at Cambridge in 2023. At the time, he was described as the university’s youngest Black professor ever, and the hire drew wide attention. He is Black and autistic, and the appointment was presented as a milestone for the institution.
Cambridge announced on Wednesday that it had opened an investigation. As reported by the BBC, the university said it had received new information about Arday’s academic qualifications and honorary posts. The BBC adds that Cambridge is also handling several complaints about possible research misconduct.
Arday announced his departure shortly after the university’s statement. He has acknowledged mistakes in his academic work but rejects the claim that he is a liar. He also says he has been the target of a coordinated campaign that was partly racist in motivation.
Academics demand an independent review
The case is no longer only about Arday, United Kingdom commentator Morten Rønnelund told DR’s radio program P1 Morgen. Per Rønnelund, people close to the recruitment process say the decision had been made in advance. He said the other candidates were part of an appearance of a long process, while the university’s leadership had settled on Arday.
According to The Guardian, a group of Cambridge academics is demanding accountability and an independent investigation into how Arday was hired. The group questions whether the university’s wish for greater diversity and positive publicity influenced the appointment.
The same group says Cambridge must take responsibility for what it calls the grotesque racism the case has triggered, as reported by The Guardian. They argue the affair has damaged Black academics more broadly. Rønnelund noted that the academics wrote an open letter stating the university bears responsibility for that harm.
A central concern in the letter, according to Rønnelund, is that people from minority groups who reached Cambridge without cheating are now being treated with suspicion. That, he said, is part of the damage the group wants the university to answer for.
The BBC reports that the trigger for the university’s inquiry was the new information Cambridge said it had received about Arday’s qualifications and honorary positions. Both DR and the BBC report that his resignation came shortly after that announcement was made public.
