Nine King’s staff and researchers are among the signatories of an open letter opposing the “punishment of Nathan Cofnas for whistleblowing.”
The open letter follows the suspension of Nathan Cofnas from Ghent University and is hosted on the website of King’s academic John Armstrong.
The letter, addressed to the Rector of Ghent University, Professor Petra De Sutter, advocates for the Belgian university to “protect Dr Cofnas from being punished for exercising his academic freedom.”
“As academics, we are concerned that Ghent University’s disciplinary proceedings against Dr Cofnas appear to constitute retaliation, at least in part, for publicizing academic misconduct that occurred in British universities. An essential component of academic freedom is the ability to scrutinize the scholarship of other academics, regardless of their position or status.”
Extract from the open letter opposing the suspension of Nathan Cofnas.
In July, Cofnas accused Jason Arday – Cambridge’s youngest-ever black professor – of extensive plagiarism in his doctoral thesis, prompting the prestigious university to open its own review.
Arday resigned from Jesus College on 5 August and was found dead at his London home nine days later, in what has been widely reported as suicide.
Roar reported at the time on the KCLSU Officers’ statement paying tribute to Arday.
Cofnas – a self-described “race realist” and a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences at Ghent – was initially suspended on 20 August pending “a preliminary disciplinary investigation”, the university announced. The university later altered the ruling and has since handed Cofnas a three-month disciplinary measure, during which he must work remotely and may not teach. He remains in post.
Ghent’s decision to appoint Cofnas earlier this year, following his sacking from Emmanuel College, Cambridge, was not without controversy. Cofnas had previously been criticised for suggesting that there is a biological IQ difference between races and endorsing a “hereditarian revolution” as a “realistic path to victory over wokism.”
The King’s signatories to the letter are Dr Canh Thien Dang (Senior Lecturer in Economics), Dr John Armstrong (Reader in Financial Mathematics), Thomas Pink (Emeritus Professor of Philosophy), Daniel Hadas (Teacher in Medieval Latin), Damien Morris (research student), Dr Samantha Brooks (postdoctoral researcher, King’s Centre for Military Health Research), Professor Yan Fyodorov (Co-Chair, Department of Mathematics), Dr Paul Sagar (Reader in Political Theory), and Professor Guglielmo Verdirame KC (Chair in International Law, War Studies, and a non-affiliated peer in the House of Lords).
The letter is hosted on Armstrong’s personal website. Armstrong is a founding member of the London Universities’ Council for Academic Freedom (LUCAF), which describes itself as “an academic-led and non-partisan organisation committed to supporting academic freedom.”
Armstrong has made three appearances on GB News, authored several articles and a book chapter on the subject, and regularly contributes opinion columns touching on academic freedom and criticism of social justice and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives and transgender policies.
Several King’s staff who signed the Cofnas letter previously signed an open letter to then-Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson over delays in implementing the complaints procedure in the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.
When approached for comment, a spokesperson for King’s College London referred to to the KCL-KCLSU Joint Statement on Freedom of Expression, which states that both institutions are “committed to upholding academic freedom and the values of freedom of speech”, arguing that “human progress rests on the free exchange of ideas and opinions, some of which may be contentious or discomforting.
The joint statement emphasised that individuals are expected to do so “with civility, being mindful of our common humanity and the dignity and privacy of others.”
A spokesperson from the KCL UCU Executive – the trade union for higher and further education staff – said the “media campaign against Jason, which resulted in his untimely death, was a disgusting example of broader attacks against universities and their equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives.”
The spokesperson said universities must provide “adequate safe-guarding and protection against harassment”, including from third parties, arguing that “the phenomenon of targeting university staff over political differences has now become a pattern”.
They added that “it is clear that racialised academic staff are more likely to be targeted by campaigns fuelled by far-right figures and outlets” and said KCL UCU had “demanded a review of racial disparities in terms of pay and promotion at King’s” and that management clarify its “commitment to and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable staff.”
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