Nathan Cofnas suspended by Ghent University after accusing Jason Arday of plagiarism
The US researcher announced his suspension on social media after Ghent opened a disciplinary inquiry into his conduct
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Nathan Cofnas suspended by Ghent University after accusing Jason Arday of plagiarism
Photograph: La Presse (embedded from source)
What this story says
- Ghent University suspended Nathan Cofnas, a researcher who accused Jason Arday of plagiarism, pending a disciplinary inquiry.
- Cofnas announced his suspension on social media platform X, stating he expected to be dismissed.
- Arday, the youngest Black professor at Cambridge, died in mid-August after resigning amid plagiarism allegations.
- The university described Arday’s death as shocking and called for reflection on how academics treat one another.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 23 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 7 of the 30 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
78/100
Craft
65/100
Hype
25/100
30 sources · methodology
Ghent University suspended Nathan Cofnas, a US researcher, after opening a disciplinary inquiry into his conduct. Cofnas, who had accused the late Cambridge professor Jason Arday of plagiarism, announced his suspension on social media platform X on 20 August 2026. He wrote that he expected to be dismissed.
The university confirmed the suspension in a statement, describing it as a preventive measure while it assessed whether to refer the case to a disciplinary body. Ghent did not name Cofnas explicitly but referred to a researcher facing allegations. The inquiry follows Cofnas’s public accusations against Arday, which gained traction in British media in July 2026.
Jason Arday, who became Cambridge’s youngest Black professor in 2023, resigned in August 2026 amid plagiarism allegations. He was found dead at his home in mid-August. His family described his death as the result of a "campaign of harassment" and called for an investigation into what they termed "media harassment".
Cofnas, who describes himself as a "race realist", was dismissed from Cambridge in 2024. He had previously published an article alleging widespread plagiarism in Arday’s work. The allegations reignited earlier claims against Arday, which he had denied.
What the reports disagree on
The reports differ on the reason for Cofnas’s suspension. La Presse reported that Ghent University opened a disciplinary inquiry into Cofnas’s conduct. Reuters and WTVB stated that Cofnas was under investigation for discrimination. Naftemporiki described the suspension as a dismissal, while NOS reported that the university considered Cofnas’s statements "very serious" but did not specify the outcome.
What the coverage left out
None of the right-rated digests mentioned that Cofnas was previously dismissed from Cambridge in 2024. None of the centre-rated digests quoted Ghent University’s rector calling Arday’s death shocking or calling for reflection on academic conduct. None of the left-rated digests mentioned that Cofnas claimed he was suspended for discriminating against Arday.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 3 times, most recently on 20 Aug 2026, 18:45, and will add the sides that appear.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
7 rated outlets
- The seven left-rated digests led on Ghent University’s suspension of Cofnas and the context of Arday’s death. Liberation and NRC Handelsblad noted Cofnas’s self-description as a "race realist". La Vanguardia described Cofnas’s statements as questioning "the intellectual capacity of Black people". La Presse quoted Ghent University’s rector calling Arday’s death shocking and a prompt for reflection on academic conduct.
- La Presse’s full report carried Cofnas’s statement on X: "I have just been suspended by Ghent University. I am pretty sure they are going to fire me." It also quoted the university’s statement that the suspension was preventive while it assessed whether to refer the case to a disciplinary body.
Centre
5 rated outlets
- The five centre-rated digests focused on the suspension and the disciplinary inquiry. La Libre and RTÉ led with the university’s confirmation of the suspension. Reuters and WTVB reported that Cofnas was under investigation for discrimination. VRT described Cofnas as a "controversial postdoctoral researcher" and linked the suspension to Arday’s death.
Right
11 rated outlets
- The nine right-rated digests framed the suspension as a consequence of Cofnas exposing Arday’s alleged plagiarism. Breitbart and Gript described Cofnas as having "exposed" or "uncovered" a scandal. USSANews and Apollo News used the word "fraud" in their headlines. LBC reported that Cofnas claimed he was suspended "for discriminating against Arday".
- The Times of India and The Straits Times led with the university’s announcement of "appropriate action" against Cofnas. NOS reported that the university considered Cofnas’s statements "very serious" but did not specify the outcome.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Nathan Cofnas suspended by Ghent University after accusing Jason Arday…?
- Of the 23 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 30% are rated left, 22% are rated centre, 48% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 30. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Nathan Cofnas suspended by Ghent University after accusing Jason Arday… left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 23 rated outlets on this story, 30% are rated left, 22% are rated centre, 48% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of Nathan Cofnas suspended by Ghent University after accusing Jason Arday… biased?
- Nathan Cofnas suspended by Ghent University after accusing Jason Arday of plagiarism is one event reported by 30 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which outlets covered Nathan Cofnas suspended by Ghent University after accusing Jason Arday…?
- 30 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- Why was Nathan Cofnas suspended?
- Ghent University suspended Nathan Cofnas pending a disciplinary inquiry into his conduct. The university described the suspension as preventive while it assessed whether to refer the case to a disciplinary body. Cofnas had accused Jason Arday of plagiarism before Arday’s death in mid-August 2026.
- What did Jason Arday die from?
- Jason Arday was found dead at his home in mid-August 2026. The reports do not specify the cause of death. Arday resigned from Cambridge amid plagiarism allegations, which his family described as a "campaign of harassment".
- What did Ghent University say about Jason Arday’s death?
- Ghent University’s rector, Pietra De Sutter, described Jason Arday’s death as shocking and called for reflection on how academics treat one another. The university issued a statement expressing its condolences and emphasising the need to learn from the incident.
- Which outlets reported that Cofnas was under investigation for discrimination?
- Reuters and WTVB reported that Nathan Cofnas was under investigation for discrimination by Ghent University. The university’s own statement did not specify the nature of the allegations, referring only to a disciplinary inquiry into his conduct.
Read it at the source
30 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
7- Death of Cambridge Teacher Jason Arday: University of Ghent Suspends the Researcher Who Accused Him of Plagiarism (opens Liberation in a new tab)
Liberation — is Liberation biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Death of Jason Arday: The University of Ghent Suspends the Researcher Who Accused the Young Cambridge Professor of Plagiarism (opens Le Monde in a new tab)
- University suspends academic behind Jason Arday plagiarism charges (opens Vanguard News in a new tab)
Vanguard News — is Vanguard News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Ghent University Announces Action Against Lynching Instigator to Jason Arday (opens La Vanguardia in a new tab)
La Vanguardia — is La Vanguardia biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Academic who accused Jason Arday of plagiarism ‘suspended’ from university (opens The Independent in a new tab)
The Independent — is The Independent biased? Our profile of this outlet
- ‘Racial Realist’ Who Instigated the Arday Affair Suspended by Ghent University (opens NRC Handelsblad in a new tab)
NRC Handelsblad — is NRC Handelsblad biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgian University Suspends Researcher Who Accused Jason Arday of Plagiarism (opens La Presse in a new tab)
Centre
5- Ghent University Suspends Researcher Nathan Cofnas After Jason Arday's Death (opens La Libre in a new tab)
- Academic who raised plagiarism allegations against Jason Arday suspended by his university (opens WTVB in a new tab)
- Academic who accused Jason Arday of plagiarism suspended (opens RTÉ in a new tab)
- UGent Suspends Controversial Employee Nathan Cofnas Following Remarks by Deceased Black Cambridge Professor (opens vrt in a new tab)
- Academic who raised plagiarism allegations against Jason Arday suspended by his university (opens Reuters in a new tab)
Right
11- U.S. Academic Who Exposed Alleged Jason Arday Plagiarism Suspended (opens Breitbart in a new tab)
- Ghent University suspends academic who uncovered Jason Arday fraud (opens ussanews.com in a new tab)
ussanews.com — is ussanews.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- He Published Plagiarism Charges Against Jason Arday – Now Nathan Cofnas Was Suspended (opens Apollo News in a new tab)
Apollo News — is Apollo News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Researcher Behind Plagiarism Allegations Against Jason Arday Has Been Suspended (opens BT in a new tab)
- Academic who exposed Cambridge scandal suspended (opens Gript in a new tab)
- Nathan Cofnas, academic at the centre of Jason Arday plagiarism row, suspended by Ghent University (opens LBC in a new tab)
- Academic who raised concerns over Jason Arday suspended by Ghent University (opens The Straits Times in a new tab)
The Straits Times — is The Straits Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Ghent University Takes Researcher to Account for Statements About Black Professor Arday (opens NOS in a new tab)
Show 3 more
- Jason Arday Death: Nathan Cofnas, who exposed Cambridge scholar's plagiarism, under-fire at his university (opens Times of India in a new tab)
Times of India — is Times of India biased? Our profile of this outlet
- University suspends academic who uncovered Jason Arday fraud (opens Just the News in a new tab)
Just the News — is Just the News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Ghent University threatening action against academic (opens brusselssignal.eu in a new tab)
brusselssignal.eu — is brusselssignal.eu biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
7- Jason Arday Case: the Researcher Who Accused the Former Cambridge Teacher of Plagiarism, Suspended (opens Le Journal de Quebec in a new tab)
Le Journal de Quebec — is Le Journal de Quebec biased? Our profile of this outlet
- College Suspends Jason Arday Reconnaissance (KONT) (opens JUNGE FREIHEIT in a new tab)
JUNGE FREIHEIT — is JUNGE FREIHEIT biased? Our profile of this outlet
- The Philosopher Who Exposed Cambridge's “Youngest Black Professor” Has Been Suspended From a Job at a Belgian University. The Decision Was Made by a Transgender Rector (opens svtv.org in a new tab)
- University suspends academic who accused Jason Arday of plagiarism (opens Times Higher Education (THE) in a new tab)
Times Higher Education (THE) — is Times Higher Education (THE) biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Jason Arday: Ghent University Fired the Professor Who "Nailed" the Plagiarism (opens Naftemporiki in a new tab)
Naftemporiki — is Naftemporiki biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Ghent University Suspends Researcher Following Criticism of Black Cambridge Professor (opens nieuwrechts.nl in a new tab)
nieuwrechts.nl — is nieuwrechts.nl biased? Our profile of this outlet
- GeenStijl: UGent Summons Researcher Who Exposed Jason Arday's Plagiarism over 'Very Serious Statements' About Jason Arday (opens geenstijl.nl in a new tab)
geenstijl.nl — is geenstijl.nl biased? Our profile of this outlet
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