Ethan Scott Brown, a geography student at the University of Glasgow, took his own life on December 13, 2024, the day he was scheduled to graduate. His family stated that in September of that year, the university informed Brown that he had not received a grade for one course and would therefore be ineligible to graduate with an honours degree. Brown was found dead in his bedroom by his mother, Tracy Scott, who later collected his degree posthumously.
Following the student’s death, the university conducted an internal inquiry that revealed significant systemic errors in how Brown’s degree had been graded. The investigation determined that Brown had actually earned sufficient marks to qualify for a 2:1 honours degree. The inquiry also identified that although Brown had communicated concerns about his mental health to university staff, appropriate support was not provided to him.
Earlier this week, it was announced that the family had reached a settlement in a civil court action against the university, though the amount was not made public. On Wednesday, the family met with Scottish education secretary Màiri McAllan at St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh. The family’s solicitor, Aamer Anwar, stated that they had put the University of Glasgow “on notice that they will be held to account,” characterizing the university’s failures as “catastrophic and systemic” and suggesting the institution had abandoned its core values in pursuing global status.
The university has issued statements expressing profound regret and indicating it has self-referred to the Scottish Funding Council. A subsequent targeted peer review by the Quality Assurance Agency resulted in recommendations for action, which the university stated it is implementing. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service confirmed they are investigating the circumstances of Brown’s death and will keep the family informed of developments.
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