Ghent University has suspended postdoctoral researcher Nathan Cofnas. Cofnas himself announced this on Thursday on the social media platform X, and Ghent University has confirmed the measure.
On Wednesday, Ghent University had already stated that it would take “appropriate action” in response to Cofnas’s comments regarding the death of Cambridge professor Jason Arday. The 41-year-old sociologist found himself at the centre of a media storm after Cofnas accused him of plagiarism. Earlier this month, Arday resigned after Cambridge launched an investigation, and on Friday he was found dead at his home in London.
“I have just been suspended by Ghent University. They will almost certainly dismiss me,” Cofnas wrote on X on Thursday afternoon. “The decision was made by Vice-Chancellor Petra De Sutter.”
In a statement, Ghent University confirmed that it had imposed a precautionary suspension pending a preliminary disciplinary investigation. “As part of this, the university is assessing whether there are sufficient grounds to refer the case to the competent disciplinary body for further consideration,” the statement reads.
Ghent University does not wish to disclose further details about the case “to safeguard the confidentiality of the personnel file and the disciplinary proceedings”. It is therefore unclear which specific statements prompted the investigation.
Cofnas describes himself as a ‘racial realist’ and is known as an outspoken opponent of equal opportunities policies. In a blog post, the American had written that Arday had plagiarised his doctoral thesis.
In 2024, Cofnas himself was forced to leave Emmanuel College, one of the colleges of Cambridge. His appointment at Ghent University earlier this year caused controversy.
