Ex-Cambridge professor Jason Arday dies amid plagiarism controversy

Black British academic and former University of Cambridge professor, Jason Arday, has died at the age of 41, days after resigning from the university amid allegations of plagiarism.

Arday was found unresponsive at a property in Battersea, south London, on Friday afternoon, according to the Metropolitan Police. Officers were called following a report from the London Ambulance Service.

The police said a 41-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene and that his next of kin had been informed. The death is being treated as unexpected but is not considered suspicious, with a report to be prepared for the coroner.

Arday, who became Cambridge’s youngest Black professor in 2023, resigned on August 5, shortly after the university announced an investigation into allegations that parts of his doctoral thesis had been plagiarised.

In his resignation statement, Arday said leaving was “the only way” to bring an end to what he described as a difficult period, while stressing that his decision should not be interpreted as an admission of the allegations against him.

The controversy attracted significant attention in Britain, with some right-wing commentators linking the allegations to diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Cambridge officials, however, warned against using the case to discredit academics from ethnic minority backgrounds.

The university’s senior administration described the alleged misconduct as an “aberration” and said the allegations would be subjected to a thorough investigation.

Arday’s death came shortly after the publication of his memoir, Great and Unfortunate Things, which was released in the United States ahead of its scheduled UK publication later in August.