The University of Cambridge has announced an independent review following the death of Professor Jason Arday. Nazir Afzal OBE has agreed to lead Part One of that review. Neither part of the review will investigate matters that fall to the inquest process.
Part One: support before Professor Arday’s death
Part One, which Nazir will lead, will examine the support, interventions and protections available to Professor Arday in the period before his death. It will proceed on an expedited basis and report within three months, so that any recommendations for urgent action can be considered without delay.
Part Two: institutional processes and practice
Part Two will be a broader examination of institutional processes and practice, including the recruitment of senior academic staff, mentoring and support arrangements, the University’s response to allegations of research misconduct, and the support available to academics who face extraordinary public and media scrutiny. The University is appointing an independent external chair for that part, together with an expert panel that will include people with lived experience.
Nazir’s statement
I am honoured to have been asked to lead Part One of this important independent review. At its heart is a person, a family and a community who have been profoundly affected by Professor Arday’s death. It is important that we approach this work with both rigour and humanity.
My responsibility will be to listen carefully, examine the evidence thoroughly and understand what support, interventions and protections were available to Professor Arday in the period before his death. We must be willing to ask difficult questions, including whether more could and should have been done.
This work will be conducted independently and with urgency.
From the Vice-Chancellor
Announcing the review, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice, said the University had worked hard to support Professor Arday during a period of external criticism, but that given the outcome it was right to ask whether more could and should have been done. She said she was grateful to Nazir for agreeing to lead this part of the work, and that recommendations would be addressed with clear accountability for delivering the changes required.
What happens next
Subject to legal and privacy considerations, a summary of the findings, recommendations and resulting actions will be shared with the University community and the wider public.
This account is based on the University of Cambridge’s announcement of 4 September 2026. Read the University’s full statement: University of Cambridge launches independent review following the death of Professor Jason Arday.