Ghent University suspends researcher who publicly accused Jason Arday of plagiarism

Ghent University has placed postdoctoral researcher Nathan Cofnas on precautionary suspension while it carries out a preliminary disciplinary inquiry into public statements he made about the late Professor Jason Arday. The university’s rector and vice-rector said the institution values academic freedom but that it can be restricted to protect the rights of others, and described Arday’s death as prompting reflection on how academics and the media treat individuals who become the focus of public controversy. Cofnas, who has described himself as a “race realist” and was previously dismissed from a Cambridge college role in 2024, had publicly alleged plagiarism in Arday’s work and said he ran texts through plagiarism-detection software. The allegations led to widespread media coverage and questions about aspects of Arday’s record, including claims about endurance running and fundraising. Arday resigned from his Cambridge professorship shortly before he was found dead in London on 14 August; he had denied the plagiarism allegations. Ghent University said it had formally notified the staff member of the start of a preliminary disciplinary process and suspended him pending assessment of whether the case should be referred to a disciplinary body. The university also reiterated its opposition to discrimination, hatred and racism while noting the need to balance open academic debate with responsibility.