The University of Cambridge professor at the centre of a plagiarism row has resigned “with immediate effect”.

Prof Jason Arday said he had “concluded that the only way to bring this chapter to an end is to step away”.

Earlier, the university said it had launched an investigation “following new information” about Arday’s “academic qualifications and honorary appointments”.

It comes after another academic – self-defined “race realist” Nathan Cofnas, who was sacked from his Cambridge role in 2024 – said he found numerous instances of plagiarism in Arday’s work and questioned some of his stated achievements. The academic has admitted errors in his work, but has insisted he is not “a liar”.

In a statement posted by the Good Law Project on Wednesday, Arday said that being appointed professor had been “without question, the greatest professional privilege of my life”.