The forthcoming graduation ceremony at the University of Glasgow carries a weight of grief, remembrance, and unresolved concerns as the family of Ethan Scott Brown prepares to collect his degree on his behalf. Ethan, a 23-year-old geography student from Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, had been due to graduate in December 2024.
Instead, that date became the day of his death, after he took his own life following an error in academic grading that wrongly led him to believe he would not graduate with his peers. His story has since raised questions about institutional oversight, academic processes, and the human cost of administrative failures. As his mother and family prepare to step into the ceremony Ethan had worked toward for years, they do so in honour of his dedication and with an urgent call for systemic accountability.
University Error and the Devastating Consequences
Ethan Scott Brown’s path through his geography degree had been marked by commitment, determination, and a clear aspiration to graduate with Honours. In September 2024, however, everything changed when the University of Glasgow informed him that he had not received a grade for one of his courses. According to the university’s assessment at the time, the missing grade meant he no longer qualified to graduate with an Honours degree, a sudden reversal that shocked and overwhelmed him.
His family later explained that this notification had a profound impact on Ethan Scott Brown, who had invested years of effort into achieving academic success and had been eagerly anticipating his graduation day. On December 13, 2024, the morning he should have been celebrating the culmination of his studies, Ethan was found dead in his bedroom by his mother, Tracy Scott. The family has since stated that the incorrect information he received from the university was directly tied to the tragic outcome.
In the months following his death, they sought answers from the institution, determined to understand how such an error could have gone unnoticed through several academic review stages. An internal university investigation eventually revealed that Ethan Scott Brown had, in fact, been awarded the wrong grade due to administrative error. The corrected assessment confirmed that he should have graduated with a 2:1 Honours degree.
This critical mistake had not been identified by any of the university staff involved, nor by two internal exam boards or one external exam board tasked with verifying student results. For his family, this revelation has raised grave concerns about broader systemic issues, prompting them to question whether other students may have been similarly misinformed about their academic standing.
Family’s Response and Calls for Accountability
The emotional toll of the months following Ethan Scott Brown’s death has been compounded by the family’s search for transparency and accountability. Their solicitor, Aamer Anwar, has been outspoken about the depth of the family’s loss and the magnitude of the failures that preceded it. According to Anwar, while the family will attend the graduation ceremony to honour Ethan’s memory and recognise his accomplishments, their attendance should not overshadow the celebrations of other students. They have asked for privacy and emphasized that the day must remain one of joy for other graduates and their families.
Yet the family remains resolute in pressing for a thorough investigation into the processes that ultimately contributed to Ethan Scott Brown’s death. They maintain that there was a systemic breakdown in the university’s handling of grades and academic reviews, and they have called for clarity on whether other students could have been harmed by similar oversights. What happened to Ethan, they argue, must serve as the catalyst for institutional reform.
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In November, Scotland’s Lord Advocate confirmed that the investigation into Ethan Scott Brown’s death had been reopened. This decision reflects growing concern about the circumstances surrounding his final months and the possible legal or procedural failings that may have contributed to them. As part of the reopened investigation, the specialist Health & Safety Investigation Unit is now assessing whether evidence exists to suggest health and safety failings occurred within the university’s systems or administrative practices.
Around the same time, the Scottish Funding Council referred the University of Glasgow to the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) under the Scottish Quality Concerns Scheme. The QAA subsequently undertook an independent, targeted peer review of the university’s processes. While the review has been completed, the final report is expected to be published in the coming months. Ethan’s family is awaiting the findings, hoping they will shed further light on the institutional procedures that failed to protect their son.
Mr Anwar has highlighted that the family’s pursuit of answers is driven not only by their own loss, but also by a commitment to prevent similar tragedies. The family insists that no other student or parent should face such circumstances, and that the flaws uncovered in Ethan Scott Brown’s case demand meaningful, transparent change.
Graduation Day and the Weight of Remembrance
On Monday, Ethan’s family will take their place among hundreds of others celebrating academic success at the University of Glasgow’s graduation ceremony. They will walk the stage to receive Ethan Scott Brown’s BSc Geography with Honours (Second Class, Division i), awarded posthumously following the correction to his academic record. For Ethan’s mother and loved ones, the moment will be deeply emotional, marked by both pride and grief.
The university has expressed condolences for Ethan Scott Brown’s death, stating that it is heartened that his degree can now be formally conferred and received by members of his family. However, the institution has faced continued scrutiny over its handling of the case and the adequacy of its response in the months following the tragedy. The family has indicated that although they welcome the awarding of his degree, it in no way diminishes their serious concerns about how the university managed Ethan’s academic record and the communication that followed.
The graduation ceremony itself will be significant not only as the moment Ethan should have experienced but also as a symbol of the family’s strength and their dedication to ensuring that his achievements are acknowledged. They have made clear that their presence is intended to honour Ethan’s hard work and the future he should have been able to attain. They also stress their wish that the ceremony remains a positive and uninterrupted experience for the other graduates celebrating their own milestones.
The broader implications of Ethan’s story continue to resonate within the academic community and beyond. It has prompted discussions about mental health support for students, the responsibility of universities to maintain reliable academic procedures, and the potential consequences when those systems fail. For many, Ethan’s death stands as a somber reminder of the profound human impact institutions can have on individuals’ lives and wellbeing.
As the day of the graduation approaches, Ethan’s family continues to navigate their grief while also advocating for justice, transparency, and systemic improvement. Their willingness to come forward with their story, despite the immense personal pain it carries, reflects their belief that Ethan’s death must not be in vain. Through their calls for investigation and reform, they hope to ensure that academic processes become more robust, communication becomes more reliable, and students receive the support and accurate information they deserve.
The final report from the QAA’s review, along with the findings of the ongoing investigation by the Lord Advocate’s office, will be critical in determining the next steps. For now, Ethan Scott Brown’s family remains focused on honouring his memory at a ceremony he had worked so hard to attend. Their presence there is both an act of love and a reminder of the longstanding need for institutions to safeguard the wellbeing of the students who rely upon them.
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