LONDON — Former University of Cambridge professor Jason Arday has been found dead in south London, just days after resigning from his academic post amid intense scrutiny over allegations concerning his academic work.
Arday, 41, was found unresponsive at an address in Battersea on Friday, August 14, according to the Metropolitan Police . He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said the death is being treated as unexpected but is not believed to be suspicious. A file will be prepared for the coroner .
Arday became the youngest Black professor in the history of Cambridge when he was appointed Professor of Sociology of Education in 2023 .
His resignation from Cambridge and Jesus College came earlier this month following mounting public scrutiny and allegations relating to plagiarism and aspects of his academic and professional background . Arday denied deliberate plagiarism, although he acknowledged mistakes in his doctoral work .
The circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear. There is currently no official finding that the academic controversy or his resignation was a cause of his death.
The news has prompted an outpouring of reaction across academia, with Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice expressing deep sadness at his death .
Further details are expected as the investigation and coroner’s process continue.
