The Jason Arday story: A modern day parable

The fantasist professor Jason Arday has finally resigned. What started as a plagiarism row has escalated into a full-blown saga, as fantastical claims made by Cambridge's youngest black professor came under scrutiny. James Hanson runs you through the story. The University of Cambridge has confirmed it will continue investigating a professor who resigned amid a plagiarism row, adding that findings will feed into a review of the process for appointing senior academic roles. Professor Jason Arday quit his high-profile role at the prestigious university on Wednesday after it launched a probe into his "academic qualifications and honorary appointments". Senior dons at Cambridge are understood to be circulating a letter calling for an inquiry into the processes around his appointment, according to the Guardian. Prof Arday's resignation followed a series of media reports alleging he plagiarised his PhD thesis - completed at Liverpool John Moores University - and other research. Further questions were asked in the press about the truth of other claims made by the professor of sociology of education, who became Cambridge's youngest black professor in 2023, including saying that he ran 600 miles in six days and that he had raised £5.5 million for charity. In a statement on Friday, Cambridge said: "As has been widely reported, Jason Arday has resigned from his post at the university with immediate effect. "Regardless of this, and for clarification, the university will continue to investigate the circumstances around Jason Arday's appointment and tenure. The findings will feed into a review of the process for the appointment of senior academic roles. "In addition, and as previously stated, the university's Research Policy Committee will review the misconduct in research policy."