Cambridge professor resigns following plagiarism allegations and biographical claims

Jason Arday, the youngest Black professor in Cambridge University's history, resigned in August 2026 after questions arose about his academic work and personal biography.

Arday faced accusations of plagiarism in his research. Separately, several claims in his biography were challenged. He had said he ran 600 miles in six days, which would be a world-class endurance achievement. He also described serious threats, including a severed pig's head sent to his parents' home. The Guardian questioned whether this incident actually happened.

Two universities, Glasgow and Ohio State, said Arday had never held visiting professorships there, though these roles appeared on his Cambridge college's website. He also had to correct an earlier claim that he alone raised £5 million for charity.