Ethan Brown, 23, took his own life on the day he was due to graduate from the University of Glasgow after being wrongly told he had failed a course, with an internal investigation later finding he had in fact earned a 2:1 honours degree that went undetected through multiple layers of academic checks.
The family of a University of Glasgow student who took his own life after being mistakenly told he had failed his degree has settled a civil action against the institution. Ethan Brown, 23, had been due to graduate with an honours degree in geography in December 2024, but was informed in September that year that he had not received a grade for one course and would therefore be ineligible to graduate. He took his own life on 13 December, the very day his graduation ceremony was due to take place, and was found by his mother, Tracy Scott, in his bedroom that morning.
Settlement confirmed, but campaign for inquiry continues
On Tuesday, the family released a statement through their solicitor, Aamer Anwar, confirming that the civil action against the university had been settled, while making clear their campaign for a full investigation into Ethan’s death would continue. The statement said: “Following the suicide of University of Glasgow student Ethan Brown, we launched a civil action which has now been settled by the university.” The amount of the settlement has not been disclosed.
The family said it was only after they challenged the university’s handling of Ethan’s academic results that an internal investigation uncovered the true scale of the error. “It was only after Ethan’s family challenged the university’s handling of his academic results that an internal investigation established he had been incorrectly graded,” the statement continued. “Ethan should in fact have graduated with a 2:1 honours degree and the error had not been identified by university staff, two internal examination boards or an external examination board.”
An error that passed through multiple layers of checking
According to the family, the mistake was particularly troubling because it survived several separate stages of academic scrutiny before Ethan was wrongly told he had failed. The statement said: “The family were devastated to learn the mistake had passed through multiple levels of the university’s assessment and examination process without being detected.” The family has also said that Ethan had previously disclosed concerns about his mental health to the university, and has argued that the support he received was inadequate and that more appropriate intervention might have prevented his death. This remains the family’s position rather than a formal finding established through investigation.
University response and wider review
Following Ethan’s death, the University of Glasgow carried out an internal investigation into its assessment regulations and subsequently self-referred the matter to the Scottish Funding Council. This led to a targeted peer review by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, which produced a series of recommendations for the university. A spokesperson for the University of Glasgow confirmed the institution had accepted these recommendations in full and was in the process of implementing them.
The spokesperson said: “The university is profoundly sorry that Ethan tragically took his own life and fully understands the deep distress this has caused his family. We repeat our sincere apology as well as our deepest sympathy. Following an internal investigation into assessment regulations, the university self-referred to the Scottish Funding Council. The quality assurance agency subsequently carried out a targeted peer review, which resulted in a series of recommendations. The university fully accepted the recommendations and is on track to implement them.”
Speaking at a graduation ceremony following Ethan’s death, the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andy Schofield, publicly acknowledged the scale of the error, saying Ethan “should have been here to collect the honours degree that he earned.” His mother, Tracy Scott, later collected the degree on his behalf after the university confirmed he had in fact met the requirements for honours.
Calls for a Fatal Accident Inquiry
Despite the settlement, the family has been clear that they do not consider the matter closed. Their statement continued: “The family continue to call for a full and transparent investigation into the university’s academic processes, decision-making and student welfare procedures, or it is only a matter of time before another family experiences the same tragic loss.” Tracy Scott has specifically called for a Fatal Accident Inquiry to be held, which could examine the circumstances surrounding her son’s death in greater depth and identify any wider institutional failures.
The family is due to meet Scottish Education Secretary Mairi McAllan, giving the case a potential dimension involving the Scottish Government and the wider regulation of higher education institutions.
