Glasgow University Faces Scathing Report Over Exam Failures and Student Safety
A devastating investigation has uncovered that students remain at serious risk of examination blunders at Glasgow University, where systemic failures contributed to the tragic death of a young Scottish student. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) has published a damning report following the suicide of Ethan Scott Brown, who took his own life after being incorrectly informed he was ineligible to graduate.
Tragic Case Reveals Institutional Failings
Ethan Scott Brown, a 23-year-old geography student, was found dead by his mother on what should have been his graduation day in December 2024. University officials had mistakenly told him three months earlier that he lacked the necessary credits to complete his degree. Devastatingly, his family discovered a month after his death that he had actually achieved a 2:1 honours degree.
The QAA investigation, triggered by this tragedy, has exposed what the family's lawyer describes as 'systemic failures at the university'. Aamer Anwar, representing the Brown family, stated: 'Ethan's family are sickened by the gaslighting they endured as the university claimed publicly there were no systemic failures. In fact, this report shows their internal report said the opposite.'
Multiple Cases of Potential Marking Errors Uncovered
The watchdog's investigation revealed alarming evidence of up to seven other cases of potential marking mistakes within the institution. The QAA found 'insufficient' safeguards to guarantee the security of all award decisions, highlighting what they term a 'systemic risk to academic standards'.
During their review, officials examined more than 700 student records and confirmed:
- Two students had received mistaken outcomes regarding their academic awards
- A further five students required additional investigation to confirm potential errors
- No similar checks had been conducted in any of the other 23 schools within the university
This directly contradicts the university's previous claims that they had 'checked all its records and is confident that the error in relation to Ethan's marks was an isolated one'.
Compassionate Communication Failures Identified
The report also criticised the university's communication practices with students. While Glasgow University had outlined an institutional commitment to 'compassionate communication', the QAA found limited awareness of this training among staff and highlighted the 'absence of a shared standard for compassionate communication'.
Students reported that although the university strives to be compassionate, receiving formal university communications can feel 'daunting'. The QAA noted that university correspondence was generally helpful and open, yet sometimes strong in tone, with staff reporting that some communications lack empathy.
National Review Announced as University Accepts Findings
In response to the damning findings, the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has committed to working closely with QAA Scotland and the university to ensure recommendations are implemented 'as a matter of urgency'. The QAA will now conduct a national review of assessment policies and procedures across the higher education sector.
Vicki Stott, QAA's chief executive, expressed serious concern about the findings, stating: 'We are committed to working closely with the university and the SFC to ensure that the University of Glasgow implements the recommendations in this report in a timely manner so that academic standards are protected, and the quality of student experience at the university is safeguarded.'
A Glasgow University spokesman responded: 'The university fully accepts the recommendations subsequently made by the QAA peer review and the risks it identifies. Since February 2025, we have worked to address the issues highlighted in the internal investigation and will implement the recommendations of the QAA review through a comprehensive plan.'
The family's lawyer has called for full transparency, demanding the university declare how many other students have suffered similar experiences due to these systemic failures.
