Family of student who took own life after grade error reach settlement with university
Family reiterate calls for fatal accident inquiry
The family of a student who took his own life after being wrongly told he had not done well enough to graduate has reached an out of court settlement with one of Scotland’s leading universities.
Ethan Brown was due to graduate from the University of Glasgow with an honours degree in geography in December 2024, but was incorrectly told he had not passed his course.
The 23 year-old took his own life on the day he should have received his degree. His mother, Tracy, discovered his body in their home in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire.
An internal investigation concluded he had been awarded the wrong grade for a course due to an error by the university, and should have graduated with a 2:1 honours degree. The mistake was not spotted by any university staff, nor by two internal exam boards or one external exam board.
A subsequent probe by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) concluded that the university’s processes posed a “systemic risk to academic standards,” and said other students in the geography school were given the wrong outcomes.
Now, the lawyer representing Ethan’s family, who launched a civil action against the university, said that they were determined to get further answers after negotiating the settlement for an undisclosed sum.
Aamer Anwar said Ethan’s loved ones had fought for “truth and accountability,” and now wanted to see a fatal accident inquiry scrutinise the circumstances surrounding his death.
In a statement, Mr Anwar 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. Despite Ethan disclosing concerns about his mental health, he was not provided with appropriate support by the university that may have saved his life.
“Ethan’s family remain deeply concerned by findings after being told of the ‘systemic failures’ within the university's academic systems and question how many other students may have been affected.”
Mr Anwar said the claim raised “complex legal issues,” pointing out that while similar cases pursued in England and Wales had been unsuccessful, claims for loss of society against a university following the suicide of a student had not been tested before the Scottish courts.
He added: “The settlement does not affect the ongoing investigations into the circumstances surrounding Ethan's death, nor is it the end for his loved ones. From the very beginning Ethan’s family have fought for truth and accountability from the powerful institution of the University of Glasgow.
“The family have always said this is about ensuring a legacy from Ethan’s tragic death, and only a fatal accident inquiry will force the university to learn lessons and protect current and future students.
“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.”
Ethan’s family are set to meet with the education secretary, Màiri McAllan, on Wednesday to discuss the wider issues raised by the case, as well as the actions taken by the university and Scottish government following the findings of the QAA investigation.
A 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 QAA 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.”
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