Jason Arday is Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Cambridge, Faculty of Education. His appointment made him the youngest-ever Black academic to hold a Professorship at Cambridge and one of the youngest academics ever appointed to a Professorial Chair in Oxbridge’s history. He was previously Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Glasgow in the School of Education and Associate Professor in Sociology at Durham University in the Department of Sociology. At Durham he was also Deputy Executive Dean for People and Culture in the Faculty of Social Science and Health.
Jason is a Trustee of the Runnymede Trust, the UK's leading race equality thinktank, and the British Sociological Association (BSA). He sits on the Centre for Labour and Social Studies (CLASS) National Advisory Panel and the NHS Race and Health Observatory Academic Reference Group. Jason is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and sits on the ITV Cultural Advisory Council.
In June 2023, Jason was the recipient of the Genius Within Neurodiversity Achiever of the Year. In July of the same year, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Southampton Solent University for outstanding contribution to global higher education and social justice. In December 2023, he was also named Most Inspirational Person of the Year at MBCC Awards and made an Honorary Fellow of the British Science Association for outstanding contribution to equality and diversity.
Jason was named as one of the most influential people of 2023 by The Independent and The Guardian Newspapers and is listed the 4th Most Influential Person with a disability in the UK on The Shaw Disability Power 100. He has also had the honour of being the Guest Editor for the BBC's Today Programme.
