Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Faces Plagiarism and Biography Scrutiny

In 2024, U.S. researcher Nathan Cofnas used plagiarism-detection software on the 2015 PhD thesis of Professor Jason Arday, a sociologist of education at Cambridge. The same scrutiny later encompassed Arday’s public biography, including his claim of running 600 miles in six days, raising more than £5 million for charity, and a statement that he had appeared in the television series *Seven Up*.

Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Faces Escalating Credibility Crisis

Arday, born in 1985 to Ghanaian immigrants in south London, was diagnosed with autism, dyslexia and global development delay in early childhood and remained non-verbal until age 11. He learned to read and write at 18, earned a PhD from Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), and in 2023 became Cambridge’s youngest Black professor. The appointment generated extensive media coverage and positioned him as a high-profile advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in academia.

President of Cambridge college quietly withdraws name from open letter in support of plagiarism row professor

• Cofnas’ software identified “many passages” lifted from other works and more than 100 passages overlapping with Zwozdiak-Myers’s thesis (Telegraph).

Jason Arday faces scrutiny over 100 PhD passages — Cambridge Professor Jason Arday

• Two universities amended Arday’s ultra-distance claim: Southampton Solent University removed the citation, while Anglia Ruskin University changed the record from six to twelve days.

Cambridge’s Black professor Jason Arday battles plagiarism claims

• LJMU’s investigation concluded there was no evidence of plagiarism but noted that Arday received only one formal supervision session during the two-and-a-half years of his doctorate, citing a “depleted supervisory team.”

Plagiarism Allegations: Cambridge’s Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu Withdraws Support for Professor Jason Arday

• Cambridge’s internal review found no wrongdoing and reiterated that LJMU’s prior clearance was sufficient.

Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Faces Escalating Credibility Crisis

• University of Cambridge affirmed that the earlier LJMU review satisfied its standards and that no new investigation is planned.

Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Faces Escalating Credibility Crisis

• Liverpool John Moores University reported that while it found no plagiarism, the lack of adequate supervision contributed to the identified issues.

President of Cambridge college quietly withdraws name from open letter in support of plagiarism row professor

• Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu, president of Wolfson College, withdrew her name from an open letter that had defended Arday, citing the growing controversy.

President of Cambridge college quietly withdraws name from open letter in support of plagiarism row professor

• WaterAid clarified that it does not send volunteers abroad, contradicting Arday’s claim that he installed water points in South America and West Africa on its behalf.

Plagiarism Allegations: Cambridge’s Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu Withdraws Support for Professor Jason Arday

• Metropolitan Police denied that it investigated the alleged delivery of a severed pig’s head to Arday’s family home.

New York Times

• Nathan Cofnas (self-described “race realist”) argued that the plagiarism findings demonstrate serious academic misconduct.

BBC News

• Critics highlighted inconsistencies in Arday’s personal claims, such as the impossible *Seven Up* participation and the inflated fundraising figures.

President of Cambridge college quietly withdraws name from open letter in support of plagiarism row professor

• Cambridge vs. Critics: Cambridge maintains that no plagiarism occurred, while Cofnas and other scholars present detailed similarity analyses.

Jason Arday faces scrutiny over 100 PhD passages — Cambridge Professor Jason Arday

• LJMU Findings: The university cleared Arday of misconduct but acknowledged supervision deficiencies, leaving open how much the gaps contributed to the alleged copying.

Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Faces Escalating Credibility Crisis

• WaterAid Claim: Earlier biographies listed WaterAid involvement; the charity now denies any volunteer deployment abroad.

Plagiarism Allegations: Cambridge’s Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu Withdraws Support for Professor Jason Arday

• Seven Up Assertion: Arday later explained that “Seven Up” was used as shorthand for a community initiative, not the BBC series; the BBC confirmed he had no involvement with its programmes.

President of Cambridge college quietly withdraws name from open letter in support of plagiarism row professor

• Future Review: Cambridge has not announced a new review, stating that the existing investigations are sufficient, while external observers call for a fresh inquiry.

Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Faces Escalating Credibility Crisis

• “Mistakes happen. If sociology of education is to ever be a field with any credibility, we need to be able to point these out, correct them, and move on,” — Mr Preston, sociology professor, University of Sussex.

Cambridge’s Black professor Jason Arday battles plagiarism claims