Cambridge professor Jason Arday resigns as university launches qualifications probe

A British sociologist who became the youngest Black professor at the University of Cambridge has resigned following the university’s decision to investigate new information about his academic qualifications. Professor Jason Arday, who was appointed at age 37 in 2023, announced his departure after weeks of scrutiny over alleged plagiarism in his doctoral thesis and questions about his reported charitable fundraising achievements.

The investigation was prompted by a July 24 analysis in the Times of London that identified passages in Arday’s 2015 Ph.D. thesis that closely matched an earlier paper, as well as new evidence suggesting some of his research may have been fabricated. Cambridge said it would not comment further while the inquiry proceeds.

Arday, who has spoken publicly about overcoming dyslexia, developmental delays and autism, denied plagiarism but acknowledged mistakes in his doctoral work, attributing them partly to limited supervision. He also clarified that the £5.5 million he claimed to have raised for charity through endurance runs was collected over a 20-year period with the assistance of others, whose identities he could not disclose due to non-disclosure agreements.

In a statement distributed by the Good Law Project, Arday said the “relentless accusations, speculation and public commentary have taken a profound toll” and that his resignation should not be seen as a loss of faith in scholarship. The university’s statement said the probe aims to ensure a fair process regarding his qualifications and honorary appointments.