Jason Arday plagiarism case: Cambridge chief vows review

University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Deborah Prentice has promised a thorough investigation into the Jason Arday plagiarism case and called his alleged wrongdoing "an aberration".

Prentice made the comments in a letter posted online Wednesday after Arday, the university's former professor of sociology of education, resigned a week earlier amid allegations that he plagiarised parts of his PhD thesis and overstated personal achievements.

Arday has denied wrongdoing. In his resignation letter, he said he did not accept "the narratives that have surrounded me".

Prentice said the case should not be used "to cast aspersions" on other academics of colour. Arday had become Cambridge's youngest black professor at the age of 37.

The vice-chancellor was responding to a group of university academics who had criticised Arday's appointment and asked her to appoint an independent body to examine what happened.

Prentice promised a "thorough and transparent" investigation into the circumstances of Arday's appointment in 2022 and his time in post, including academics from beyond Cambridge.

The university has already said the case would lead to a review of the hiring process for senior roles. Prentice said such hiring is currently led by individual academic departments, including the Faculty of Education in Arday's case.