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https://theconversation.com/jason-ardays-death-black-academics-need-to-feel-they-belong-in-higher-education-289913>
"The death of Professor Jason Arday has left many of us with a profound sense
of sadness. For Black academics in particular, his loss feels deeply personal.
Jason represented possibility – a reminder of what could be achieved despite
the barriers that continue to shape Black people’s experiences in education.
I had the privilege of knowing Jason and welcoming him to speak to scholars on
the Accomplished Study Programme in Research Excellence (Aspire), which was set
up to address the underrepresentation of Black students progressing into
doctoral education.
Jason had been facing accusations of plagiarism and resigned from his position
at the University of Cambridge. He was found dead on August 14 2026.
His passing has made me reflect on an uncomfortable question: do Black
academics really belong in UK higher education? Of course, we should belong.
The more difficult question is whether our institutions consistently make us
feel that we do.
This question has shaped much of my work through the Aspire programme. Across
three cohorts, Aspire has supported 59 Black and mixed-Black scholars. Fifteen
progressed into fully-funded PhDs at universities across the UK.
Those numbers matter. But our research suggests that the most important impact
of such programs cannot be captured through numbers alone."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
