Ex-Cambridge professor at centre of plagiarism scandal found dead
Black academic Jason Arday, who resigned from the University of Cambridge last week following a high-profile plagiarism scandal that raised claims of racism, was found dead on Friday, the prestigious British institution confirmed. Arday, 41, was found unresponsive Friday afternoon at an address in south London, according to the capital’s Metropolitan Police Service, which did not confirm the…
Jason Arday, a 41-year-old ex-professor from the University of Cambridge, was found unresponsive at his south London residence on Friday afternoon. The Metropolitan Police Service confirmed the identity of the deceased, but declined to provide further details, stating the death was being treated as unexpected and not suspicious.
University Vice Chancellor Deborah Prentice expressed deep sorrow over the loss, while Arday's family criticized the "campaign of harassment" they faced following allegations of plagiarism and accusations of racism.
The plagiarism scandal erupted after some academics and media accused Arday of plagiarising parts of his doctoral thesis. The allegations were amplified by British right-wing media outlets, which claimed he unfairly benefited from diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) policies. This controversy led to Arday's resignation from his post as a professor and fellow of Jesus College at Cambridge University on August 5.
Arday's family described him as a gentle man who always tried to see the best in people. They also commented on the "campaign of misinformation" surrounding Jason, who was the youngest black professor at Cambridge in 2023. The scandal has caused division on the Cambridge campus and within academia, with some academics calling for an independent probe while others supported Arday.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
