Cambridge University describes appointment of 'plagiarism professor' Jason Arday as an 'aberration' and launches full investigation
The University of Cambridge will launch an independent investigation into the appointment of Professor Jason Arday, who was forced to resign over allegations of plagiarism and embellishing his personal achievements.
Listen to this article
The university announced today that it was launching a full investigation into his appointment by its Faculty of Education in 2022 as well as his time there since, with Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice calling the case an “aberration”.
The university said the investigation will be carried out independently by a panel of "senior academics from within and beyond Cambridge."
Professor Prentice wrote in an email to staff at the university: "In light of the focus on this troubling case and the widespread commentary around it, I want to be very clear that we do not need the outcomes of an investigation to clearly and loudly affirm that our staff of colour is highly valued.
"This particular case is an aberration and should not be used to cast aspersions on their work or the legitimacy of their roles at Cambridge."
She adds: "The highest standards of academic excellence have been a core principle at Cambridge for many centuries, and this is reflected in the outstanding research and teaching we see here every day.
"We are committed to maintaining those standards."
Mr Arday’s resignation from Cambridge last Wednesday followed a series of accusations he plagiarised parts of his PhD thesis, completed at Liverpool John Moores University, and other research.
Further questions were asked about the truth of other claims he made, including saying he ran 600 miles in six days and that he had raised £5.5 million for charity.
After his resignation, he was forced to cancel events promoting his forthcoming memoir.
A bookshop event in Edinburgh and a conference speech featuring the former Cambridge University professor have been called off.
His memoir, Great And Unfortunate Things, has been released in the US and is still due to be published in the UK on August 27.
The University of Glasgow has already said it will review its past appointment of Mr Arday as a professor.
A University of Glasgow spokesperson said on Friday evening: “Jason Arday was employed as Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Glasgow, from January 2022 to March 2023.
“He left the University to take up his role as Professorial Chair at the University of Cambridge.
“The Principal has commissioned a review of the appointment to understand all the facts and learn lessons for the future.”
Dozens of academics at the University of Cambridge have signed a letter calling for an independent inquiry into the processes around Mr Arday’s appointment.
It comes after the Metropolitan Police drew criticism over an investigation into a claim of harassment made against a Times Higher Education journalist who emailed Mr Arday with questions some months ago.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley told LBC last Thursday that the force “dropped the ball on that one” and the report should have been “screened out earlier as not requiring investigation”.
In a previous statement issued last week, Cambridge said: “As has been widely reported, Jason Arday has resigned from his post at the university with immediate effect.
“Regardless of this, and for clarification, the university will continue to investigate the circumstances around Jason Arday’s appointment and tenure. The findings will feed into a review of the process for the appointment of senior academic roles.
“In addition, and as previously stated, the university’s Research Policy Committee will review the misconduct in research policy.”
An investigation at Liverpool John Moores University cleared Mr Arday of wrongdoing.
He said in his open resignation letter that the “only way to bring this chapter to an end is to step away”.
In the letter, addressed to colleagues and published on the Good Law Project’s website, he said: “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.
“It is simply the decision of someone who has reached the limits of what any person should reasonably be expected to endure.”