Source: Africa Publicity
Jason Arday, the former University of Cambridge professor who recently stepped down following allegations of plagiarism, has died at the age of 41.
Emergency responders were called to a property in Battersea, south London, on Friday afternoon after reports of a man being found unresponsive.
Arday resigned from his position as professor of sociology of education at Cambridge University last week after claims emerged questioning both his academic work and aspects of his professional achievements. He had strongly denied allegations of plagiarism.
In a statement, his family said they were “in shock to have lost this amazing father, partner, brother, uncle and son”.
They added: “The campaign of misinformation was too much for Jason, who was a gentle man and who always wanted to see the best in everyone.”
Police said officers attended the Battersea address following a call from the London Ambulance Service.
The Metropolitan Police stated: “At this time his death is being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious.”
Cambridge University’s vice-chancellor, Prof Deborah Prentice, expressed sadness at the news, saying: “We are desperately saddened to hear this tragic news.”
“Our heartfelt sympathies go to Jason Arday’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time,” she added.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell also reacted to the development, saying she was “deeply shocked and saddened” by the news and urged people to “remember there are real people with loved ones involved”.
In recent weeks, Arday had been at the centre of intense scrutiny over claims that portions of his academic work contained plagiarism. While he rejected the allegations, he acknowledged that some mistakes existed in his research and publications.
Last week, he said the controversy had resulted in “an unrelenting level of public scrutiny and personal attack”.
The allegations were first raised by Nathan Cofnas, a self-described “race realist” and former Cambridge academic who was dismissed from the university in 2024. Cofnas claimed to have identified multiple instances of plagiarism in Arday’s work.
Responding to the accusations, Arday said some errors in his early academic writing were linked to his autism, explaining that he relied on mimicry as a way of processing and understanding information.
He also argued that similar examinations of other academics’ work would likely uncover comparable mistakes.
