Ex-Cambridge professor who resigned over plagiarism row found dead

Jason Arday, the former University of Cambridge professor who recently resigned amid allegations of plagiarism and misrepresenting his credentials, was found dead in his home on Friday, police said in a statement cited by the media. The death is not being treated as suspicious.

Arday, 41, had been recognized as the youngest-ever black professor at the institution when he joined as a professor of sociology of education in 2023. Following allegations that he plagiarized his 2015 PhD dissertation and the emergence of questions regarding his academic posts and other achievements, he resigned from his position. Arday denied the plagiarism allegations.

The Metropolitan Police said first responders called officers to the academic’s south London home on Friday afternoon after finding him “unresponsive.” He was pronounced dead at the scene.

“At this time his death is being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious,” the police said.

The academic’s resignation came just two days after Cambridge announced an investigation into his academic qualifications and honorary appointments, as the wider controversy burst into the spotlight. Liverpool John Moores University, which had awarded him his PhD, had carried out its own probe but did not uphold the plagiarism allegations.