Cambridge Opens New Probe Into Jason Arday Plagiarism Claims

The Story in Brief

The University of Cambridge has opened a new investigation into professor Jason Arday’s academic qualifications and honorary appointments, while complaints over alleged academic misconduct remain under review. Jesus College, where Arday is a fellow, has begun a separate probe. The move follows claims that more than 100 passages in his PhD dissertation were copied, detailed by researcher Nathan Cofnas. Media reports have also questioned Arday’s links with Ohio State University, Glasgow and Durham. Ohio State said it had no employment record, while Glasgow and Durham gave narrower accounts of his affiliations.

Cambridge said in June that earlier plagiarism claims had been investigated and dismissed by the relevant institution and journals. It has not said what new information prompted the latest inquiry. Arday denies being an academic fraud and says the scrutiny is racially motivated. He has acknowledged academic mistakes. Cambridge said the memoir due this month was not linked to plagiarism allegations.