Jason Arday quit with immediate effect hours after Cambridge opened an investigation into his qualifications, after months of unravelling claims about books, degrees, and charity feats
Professor Jason Arday has resigned from the University of Cambridge with immediate effect, hours after the university launched an investigation into his academic qualifications and honorary appointments. His resignation on Wednesday 5 August came on the same day that The Telegraph revealed he had falsely claimed to have published a book that does not exist.
Arday, appointed Professor of Sociology of Education in March 2023 and celebrated at the time as Cambridge’s youngest black professor, announced his departure in a statement on the Good Law Project website.
‘The relentless accusations, speculation and public commentary have taken a profound toll on me and on those I love’, he said. He added that his decision should not ‘be mistaken for an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me’.
Jesus College, where Arday was a fellow, has opened its own investigation, the BBC reported.
The book that was never written
Arday repeatedly claimed to be the author of ‘Being Young, Black and Male: Challenging the Dominant Discourse’. The title appeared in his published essays, in promotional material for speaking events, and was attributed to publisher Palgrave Macmillan. Palgrave confirmed it had abandoned the project several years ago and that no book was ever published.
A second title, ‘Considering Racialised Contexts in Education’, was listed as published on Durham University’s website between 2019 and 2023. It was only marked ‘in press’ in December 2023. Arday listed it on Amazon himself in 2024 with no cover image, available only for pre-order for delivery in 2030.
Simon & Schuster, which is set to publish his memoirs, claimed on its website that he had ‘previously published three books’. After The Telegraph made contact, that was changed to ’two books’.
David Harris, professor emeritus at Plymouth Marjon University, who first raised concerns in 2023, told The Telegraph that ‘any reasonable person would have concluded from Prof Arday’s claims that he had published this book’. If the title was included in his Cambridge application, he said, Arday ‘could have been given the job under false pretences’. Whether the claims were decisive in his appointment remains under investigation.
More than 180 copied passages
The book claims are only part of the picture. An analysis of Arday’s PhD thesis found more than 180 passages identical or near-identical to another student’s thesis. Arday has attributed the apparent plagiarism to autism, saying he absorbs information through mimicry.
Birkbeck contradicted his claim to hold a master’s degree in psychodynamic counselling. Durham denied he was an honorary professor in its sociology department. The University of Glasgow, Ohio State University, and Nelson Mandela University all denied he had been a visiting professor.
Durham denied he was an honorary professor in its sociology department. The University of Glasgow, Ohio State University, and Nelson Mandela University all denied he had been a visiting professor.
Last week Arday admitted a story about running 600 miles in six days for charity was wrong: it took 12 days. He also accepted he did not raise £5.5m alone, but was part of a syndicate of about 100 people he says he cannot name because of non-disclosure agreements.
Supporters called it a smear campaign
Cambridge previously described Arday as the victim of a ‘vile campaign to undermine his credibility’, but faced a staff revolt over its refusal to re-examine his credentials.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who joined five Labour MPs in signing an open letter calling the coverage a ‘smear campaign’, told LBC that ‘people of colour, particularly in society, can sometimes be held by higher standards’. He said the investigation should still go ahead ‘because I think it would be good to know the truth’.
Liverpool John Moores University, which awarded Arday’s PhD, reviewed misconduct allegations last September and said the degree still stands.
The Cambridge and Jesus College investigations continue. No findings have been published.
