Professor Jason Arday Resigns Amid Cambridge University Investigation
University and Jesus College launch probes into academic qualifications and honorary appointments following Guardian investigation.
Carla Rooney
Professor Jason Arday has resigned from his position at the University of Cambridge.
Professor Arday announced his immediate resignation, stating: "It is with profound sadness that I write to resign, with immediate effect, from my position at the University of Cambridge and Jesus College."
He described his appointment as "without question, the greatest professional privilege of my life." Professor Arday concluded: "For my own wellbeing, for my family, and for those who have stood by me throughout this difficult period, I have concluded that the only way to bring this chapter to an end is to step away."
For my own wellbeing, for my family, and for those who have stood by me throughout this difficult period, I have concluded that the only way to bring this chapter to an end is to step away.
The University of Cambridge confirmed an investigation into Professor Arday's academic qualifications and honorary appointments has begun, following new information. Jesus College is launching its own parallel process.
The University stated: "While we are fully aware of the public commentary and concerns around this matter, it remains vital that any process is thorough and adheres to both university policies and employment law." It also noted: "We also fully recognise that there is a person at the centre of this situation and we continue to provide support to him."
Discrepancies in Professor Arday’s public accounts, reportedly involving prodigious fundraising feats, have emerged. He falsely claimed authorship of the book 'Being Young, Black and Male: Challenging the Dominant Discourse', a book proposal accepted by Palgrave Macmillan but never published.
Allegations of plagiarism against Professor Arday's PhD thesis and other research have surfaced. Academics claim he copied sections of his PhD thesis from a student's paper published six years earlier.
An investigation by Liverpool John Moores University did not uphold plagiarism charges against Professor Arday, instead suggesting "honest and reasonable error."
Professor Arday's legal representatives, Carter-Ruck, claim the investigation into his credentials may be racially motivated. The reporting had allegedly affected the academic's "mental health."
The University of Cambridge confirmed ongoing complaints regarding academic misconduct are being handled in line with their policy. "Separately, there remains a number of ongoing complaints regarding academic misconduct, which are being handled in line with our misconduct in research policy. This is consistent with our previous statement on the matter."
An online open letter in solidarity with Professor Arday has garnered nearly 16,000 signatures. This includes MPs, Lords, academics, and Green Party leader Zack Polanski.
Professor Arday stated: "This decision should not be interpreted as a loss of faith in scholarship or in the values that first brought me to Cambridge. Nor should it be mistaken for an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me."
He added: "It is simply the decision of someone who has reached the limits of what any person should reasonably be expected to endure." Professor Arday reflected on his journey, stating: "To become the youngest Black professor in the University’s history was something I could scarcely have imagined as a child growing up with a diagnosis of autism, unable to speak until I was eleven years old."
He noted: "Sadly, the years since my appointment have also been marked by an unrelenting level of public scrutiny and personal attack." Professor Arday concluded: "But there comes a point when the personal cost becomes too great."
He offered gratitude to his students, saying: "To my students: thank you. Teaching you has been the greatest honour of my academic career. Your brilliance, compassion and determination give me enormous hope for the future."
Professor Arday also thanked his supporters: "To my colleagues and to the many thousands of people, from every corner of the world, who have supported me, defended me, written to me, and believed in me when it mattered most, I offer my deepest gratitude. Your kindness has carried me through some of the darkest moments of my life."
He asserted: "This is not the end of my work. It is simply the end of this chapter." Professor Arday added: "I will return stronger, wiser and with the same determination that has always defined my journey. There is still so much work to do, and I look forward to doing it alongside so many of you in the years ahead."
For now, Professor Arday stated: "I ask only for understanding, for compassion, and for the space to begin again." The Metropolitan Police closed a harassment case against Jack Grove in February, following Arday's claim he had been targeted by knife-wielding masked intruders.
Sarah Waite, a special adviser to Education Secretary Lucy Powell, appointed Professor Arday as a patron of her charity, Get Further, last year. Professor Arday stood as a Labour Party candidate in Croydon in 2018.