The former dean of the business school at Durham University has been suspended on charges plagiarism.

Tony Antoniou had continued as Professor of finance after stepping down from his position as Dean on 5 September after allegations were printed in the Times Education Supplement that he plagiarised research.

A statement from Durham University said: "The University takes plagiarism extremely seriously. Professor Antoniou has been suspended from duty with immediate effect."

The university has been keen to highlight that the allegations do not relate to Professor Antoniou’s research at Durham, but this will do little to reduce the damage caused to the school.

Professor Antoniou was appointed Dean after a merger between the business school and the department of economics, and was seen as a key figure in improving the schools research problems. Durham University has confirmed that it has embarked on a search for a replacement for the Professor, with the business school currently being managed by an interim group of senior staff.

Professor Antoniou’s suspension comes as a number of other plagiarism cases are being investigated in academia.

A former Wolverhampton University lecturer is preparing for legal action against his ex-employers following his dismissal for plagiarism, and University of Colorado Professor Ward Churchill was dismissed for similar offences in July.

Despite constant warnings to undergraduate students about plagiarising material, with most universities using electronic plagiarism detection software to prevent plagiarised work passing as students' own, the policing of academic work is less rigorous.

Another investigation is being carried out at The University of York into allegations that Professor Antoniou’s doctoral thesis also contained plagiarised material.