Ghent University has suspended a researcher who accused Jason Ardey of plagiarism
Ghent University in Belgium has suspended postdoctoral researcher Nathan Kofnas pending a preliminary disciplinary investigation. Kofnas had previously publicly accused Cambridge University professor Jason Ardey of plagiarism, according to The Guardian.
The university stated that it had officially notified the employee of the initiation of a preliminary disciplinary proceeding. The institution is reviewing whether there are grounds to refer the case to the appropriate disciplinary body. The suspension was described as a precautionary measure pending this review.
In a joint statement, Ghent University Rector Petra De Sutter and Vice Rector Hervig Reynaert emphasized that the institution supports academic freedom and open scientific discourse, particularly regarding controversial views. At the same time, they noted that such freedom must be balanced with responsibility and may be restricted to protect the rights of others. The university also stated that it opposes discrimination, hatred, and racism.
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Kofnas wrote on the social media platform X that the university is investigating him for discriminating against Ardey and also announced his suspension. According to the publication, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences at Ghent University. In 2024, Kofnas was dismissed from his position at Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge.
Jason Ardey, who was 41 years old, stepped down from his position at the University of Cambridge this month following allegations of plagiarism made by Kofnas. These allegations were not substantiated by any formal investigation. Ardey, who in 2023 became Cambridge’s youngest Black professor, was found dead in Battersea, in south London. Cambridge University Chancellor Chris Smith called the university’s handling of the case and the coverage by some media outlets “racist hysteria.”
