The family of Ethan Scott Brown says the University of Glasgow will be held to account after the 23-year-old student died on the day he was due to graduate. The family’s solicitor made the statement after relatives met Scotland’s education secretary in Edinburgh, according to reporting published on 7 October 2026.
Brown studied geography at Glasgow. His family said the university told him in September 2024 that he lacked a course grade and could not graduate with honours. They said he died at home in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, on 13 December 2024, the date of his scheduled graduation.
The family has linked the grading news and the university’s handling of his concerns to his death. That causal claim remains the family’s account, rather than an independently established finding in the available reporting.
University inquiry found grading error
The university’s internal inquiry found that a grading error had occurred and that Brown had sufficient marks for a 2:1 honours degree. It also found that staff had not offered support after he raised concerns about his mental health.
Those findings concern the university’s own review of Brown’s case. A separate examination by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education addressed broader issues at Glasgow, not the specific circumstances surrounding his death.
The QAA’s review, published on 27 January 2026, identified systemic risks affecting academic standards and the student experience, and issued 21 recommendations. The agency explicitly said it had not investigated Brown’s individual circumstances, so its findings do not independently confirm the family’s account of his case.
The university has said it is on track to implement the QAA recommendations. The available reporting does not detail the individual measures Glasgow is taking or provide a timetable for their completion.
Civil action settled
The family has settled a civil action against the university, Sky News reported on 6 October. The settlement amount was not disclosed. The reporting does not say that the settlement determined legal responsibility, and it should not be treated as a ruling on the family’s claims.
The family met Scottish Education Secretary Màiri McAllan in Edinburgh, according to the Guardian. After the meeting, solicitor Aamer Anwar said the university “will be held to account.” The statement reflects the family’s position; the report does not describe it as the outcome of a legal judgment.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service told the Guardian that the circumstances of Brown’s death were being investigated. The available information does not establish that a fatal accident inquiry has been ordered.