Cambridge University to hold independent inquiry into Jason Arday appointment

Senior academics at Cambridge had called for a thorough review after details of Arday's career and life story came under intense scrutiny. The university initially defended him, but he resigned last week when several claims were questioned. Prentice stated in a letter to staff that the investigation would be "thorough and transparent" and conducted by "senior academics from within and beyond Cambridge."

The investigation will look into the circumstances of Arday's appointment by the faculty of education in 2022 and his time at Cambridge since he joined nearly four years ago. Prentice noted that appointments to senior academic roles are currently led at the department level. She also highlighted that Arday had previously held positions at Durham and Glasgow universities, both of which have also announced investigations into his appointments there.

Prentice addressed the impact of the controversy on other Black and ethnic-minority academics, some of whom described the atmosphere as toxic. She affirmed that staff of colour are highly valued for their contributions and that Arday's case is an "aberration" that should not be used to question their work or roles at Cambridge. She emphasized the need to allow reviews to complete their work effectively to learn from any mistakes and improve processes.