Black professor who became the poster boy for DEI resigns from Cambridge: "Plagiarized his PhD and faked research"
British sociologist Jason Arday, who inspired many with his story of overcoming dyslexia and autism, has resigned from the University of Cambridge following an investigation. It was discovered that his academic achievements, including his doctoral thesis and previous employment claims, were dubious, and several personal stories were found to be fabricated.
A British sociologist who became famous as the youngest black professor ever appointed at the University of Cambridge was forced to resign from his position on Wednesday, after the university announced it had opened an investigation following "new information" regarding his academic background and the qualifications he boasted of. The investigation and resignation come after reports in recent weeks that extensive parts of the doctoral thesis of the professor, Jason Arday, were copied from the work of another researcher, and that various achievements described in his resume were at the very least inflated.
Arday, now 41, was only 37 when he was appointed professor at Cambridge in 2023. That achievement was presented as an inspiring story, as Arday overcame dyslexia, developmental delays, and autism, which he was diagnosed with at age 3. According to his testimony, he did not speak until age 11 and could not read or write until age 18. Many saw him as the "poster boy for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policy" — a strategy under which public institutions promote minorities, including those from the black community, through affirmative action. This policy is often attacked by conservatives as a discriminatory progressive agenda that promotes the unqualified at the expense of the qualified.
In recent weeks, Arday found himself under scrutiny following doubts raised by Nathan Cofnas, a former philosophy researcher at Cambridge. On July 24, "The Times" published an analysis of Arday's 2015 doctoral thesis, highlighting passages that were "identical or almost identical" to an earlier document written by another researcher. Cambridge initially backed Arday, claiming the plagiarism allegations had already been investigated by Liverpool John Moores University, which awarded the doctorate. The university in Liverpool determined these were errors caused by a "good faith mistake," and Cambridge initially presented the accusations as a "vile campaign intended to damage his credibility."
However, claims about copying parts of the doctorate led to a check of other details in Arday's past, raising significant questions. Four universities in the UK, the USA, and South Africa rejected his claim that he held academic positions with them. Further discrepancies were discovered regarding his degrees. In a 2022 lecture, he claimed he studied for a master's degree in "psychodynamic practice" at Birkbeck University — a claim that apparently has no basis. According to an archived profile at Jesus College, he also wrote that he had a "master's degree in education studies from Liverpool John Moores University," but this description was later deleted from his list of degrees.
Great suspicions also arose regarding his social activity. In the past, he claimed to have raised 5.5 million pounds for charity, but after being confronted, he was forced to correct this, stating he was only a member of a "syndicate" of over 100 fundraisers. When asked to refer journalists to those fundraisers, he said he could not due to confidentiality agreements. Arday also claimed he volunteered for WaterAid by "installing water points" in South America and West Africa, but the organization found no evidence of this.
On a personal level, doubts were raised regarding his athletic achievements, such as running 30 marathons in 35 days. The British "Daily Mail" revealed that the professor claimed he participated in the TV series "Seven Up" but retracted it when told it was broadcast decades before he was born. Another debunked claim was that he published a book titled "Being Young, Black and Male: Challenging the Dominant Discourse." In practice, the book never saw the light of day after the publisher gave up on it. Investigations also failed to yield evidence supporting his claims of threats, including a severed pig's head sent to his parents' home or masked intruders threatening him with a knife.
Following these reports, the University of Cambridge announced a change in its position, stating it is opening its own investigation. "The University of Cambridge has begun an investigation following new information about Professor Arday's academic degrees and his honorary appointments," it said. Cambridge clarified that it would not investigate claims regarding his doctorate, as it was awarded by another institution.
"The Times" reported that Cambridge decided to open an investigation after the newspaper presented evidence that some of Arday's research was "fabricated" and contained "impossible" data. In an interview published last week, Arday denied plagiarism in his thesis but admitted to some errors, which he attributed to a lack of supervision.
Following the announcement, Arday announced his resignation late Wednesday in a written statement: "Criticism is an inevitable part of academic life, but what I have experienced has gone far beyond scholarly dispute. The relentless accusations, speculation, and public comments have taken a heavy toll on me and my loved ones." He emphasized that his decision should not be interpreted as a loss of faith in academic research. The publisher "Simon & Schuster" is supposed to publish Arday's memoir, "Great and Unfortunate Things," this month, but his resignation may delay or prevent its publication and the planned PR campaign.
