University of Westminster awards Honorary Doctorate to Professor Jason Arday

On 26 July Professor Arday offered inspirational words to the recent graduates from the University of Westminster as he was presented with his Honorary Doctorate. 

Professor Arday’s road to academia has been a challenging and remarkable one. When he was three he was diagnosed with a form of Autism Spectrum Disorder which caused him to be unable to speak until he was 11 and unable to read or write until he was 18. Despite being told that he would most likely need to have lifelong support and assisted living, with the help of his mother, Gifty, and his inspirational college tutor Sandro Sandri, he was determined to prove them wrong and worked tirelessly to make it to college then university, subsequently training as a teacher. From here his academic career began and he continued to thrive, smashing milestone after milestone, with his first professorial appointment coming in 2021 when he became Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Glasgow.

Throughout his childhood and career Professor Arday witnessed the systemic inequalities Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students face in education, with so many denied the opportunity to access higher education. These injustices fuelled his desire to help open doors for those from disadvantaged backgrounds and to make higher education available for all.

In 2023, he was appointed Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Cambridge, making history by becoming the youngest-ever person of colour to hold a Professorship at Cambridge and one of the youngest academics ever appointed to a Professorial Chair in Oxbridge’s history. He has also written numerous books that delve into the roots of structural racism in higher education and has been called on by the government and multiple organisations on many occasions to support the development of anti-racism strategies. 

Professor Arday said: “The University of Westminster is a truly outstanding institution and has been instrumental in mobilising equality and diversity across the sector. There are not enough words to express my gratitude to the University for this great honour, I am beyond humbled. 

“I would especially like to extend my sincerest thanks to the Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Bonfield OBE for bestowing this wonderful honour upon me. I have greatly appreciated the outstanding support of Dr Deborah Husbands and Professor Dibyesh Anand over the years and I am immensely grateful to them for all they have done across the sector.

“I would like to dedicate this award to everyone working for greater equality and diversity in higher education and most importantly congratulate the exceptional Class of 2024.”

Find out about how the University of Westminster is working to support equality, diversity and inclusion.

Find out about last year’s Honorary Doctorates.

Photo credit: Tempest Photography