Ethan Scott Brown died at the age of 23 on the day he should have been graduating. Photograph: Family Handout/PAView image in fullscreenEthan Scott Brown died at the age of 23 on the day he should have been graduating. Photograph: Family Handout/PAFamily of student who took his own life say university ‘will be held to account’Ethan Scott Brown died after being wrongly told he would not be eligible to graduate from the University of Glasgow
The family of a student who took his own life after being wrongly told he would not be eligible to graduate have said the University of Glasgow “will be held to account”.
Ethan Scott Brown, 23, was due to graduate in December 2024 after studying geography.
However, his family said that in September that year, the university told him he had not been awarded a grade for one course and would therefore not be eligible to graduate with an honours degree.
His family said as a result, he took his own life on 13 December 2024, the day he should have been graduating.
He was found dead in his bedroom by his mother, Tracy Scott, that morning.
Scott, who collected her son’s degree posthumously, has called for a fatal accident inquiry to be held into his death.
The university has said it is “profoundly sorry” and is implementing a series of recommendations after a review.
The internal inquiry found “systemic” errors in the way Brown’s degree had been graded, and that he had enough marks for a 2:1 honours degree. It also found that although Brown had told staff that he had concerns about his mental health, they had failed to offer him support.
View image in fullscreenTracy Scott, pictured after a meeting with the Scottish education secretary on Wednesday. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PAOn Tuesday it was reported that the family had settled a civil court action with the university. The sum of the settlement has not been disclosed.
On Wednesday, the family met the Scottish education secretary, Màiri McAllan, at St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh.
Speaking after the meeting, their solicitor Aamer Anwar said they had placed “the University of Glasgow on notice that they will be held to account”.
Anwar claimed that in its drive to become a global institution, the university had “forgotten its soul”.
He added: “Their failures were catastrophic and systemic. They failed not just in their duty of care to Ethan, but to many other students over the years.
“Today’s meeting with the minister was important and was welcomed. The minister offered to ask the QAA [Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education], who are investigating the university, to meet with the family.
“The family welcomed the apology by Ms McAllan for her predecessor’s statement in September 2025 which implied an acceptance of the university’s position that Ethan’s case was an isolated incident.”
Anwar added that the university’s governance process was “not fit for purpose”.
View image in fullscreenThe family’s solicitor, Aamer Anwar, claimed that the University of Glasgow had ‘forgotten its soul’. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PAA spokesperson for the University of Glasgow 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 for action.
“The university fully accepted the recommendations and is on track to implement them.”
A spokesperson for the Crown Office said the circumstances of Brown’s death were being investigated by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, adding that the family would be kept updated on any developments.
In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
