Nathan Cofnas, academic at the centre of Jason Arday plagiarism row, suspended by Ghent University

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Mr Cofnas, a self-described “race realist”, confirmed on Thursday that he is now under investigation by the Belgian institution where he is currently a researcher.

Sharing a statement put out by the academic institution in the wake of former Cambridge professor Jason Arday’s death, the Rector and Vice-Rector of Ghent University said it had “decided to take appropriate action” in the wake of "recent comments" made by Mr Cofnas.

It added that "freedom is not unlimited" when it comes to controversial views and opinions, despite outlining the "importance" of freedom of expression in academia.

Mr Arday was found "unresponsive" at an address in Battersea on Friday after emergency services were called to the property, where he was later pronounced dead.

His death came after he stepped down from his role as a professor at Cambridge University amidst a plagiarism row, after Mr Cofnas claimed to have found numerous instances of plagiarism in Mr Arday's work - suggestions Liverpool John Moores University have since dismissed.

Read more: More than £100,000 raised for family of former Cambridge professor Jason Arday

Read more: Former Cambridge professor Jason Arday found dead aged 41

Taking to X, Nathan Cofnas wrote: "I was just suspended by Ghent University. They will almost certainly fire me.

He added: "The decision was made by rector Petra De Sutter, a former leader of the Green Party."

Mr Cofnas became known for his controversial views on race, publishing a post on Substack in February 2024 in which he claimed that race is linked to intelligence and that without DEI initiatives, there would be no black academics at Harvard.

He was also seen to call for a “revolution” against the “DEI devil” and for people to “accept that talent is not distributed equally within or across groups”.

Mr Arday resigned from his post as the professor of sociology of education prior to his death on August 5, after allegations of plagiarism were levelled against him by Mr Cofnas.

Mr Arday was the university's youngest-ever black professor, with his death coming after dozens of academics at the prestigious institution signed a letter calling for an independent inquiry into the processes around his appointment.

The statement, put out by Ghent University, said: “We attach great importance to academic freedom and to open academic debate, even when views are controversial.

"However, that freedom is not unlimited. It goes hand in hand with responsibility and may be restricted in order to protect the rights of others.

“For this reason, the university takes the recent public statements made by a postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University regarding this matter very seriously," the statement continued.

"Ghent University has decided to take appropriate action within its powers and the applicable framework.

“We do not wish to pre-empt any potential decisions at this stage, in order to maintain objectivity.

"It is important to be transparent, whilst also respecting the confidentiality inherent in a personnel file.”

It comes after more than £100,000 has been raised for the family of former Cambridge professor Jason Arday after a Windrush campaigner launched a fundraising drive in his memory.

On Saturday afternoon, campaigner Sir Patrick Vernon launched a fundraiser for Mr Arday in the wake of his death on GoFundMe, which has received more than 3,000 donations and raised more than £100,000.

Writing on the crowdfunder’s webpage, Sir Patrick paid tribute to the “pioneering” academic.