University College Dublin will no longer require students to put their names on exam papers amid concern the practice could lead to bias against certain candidates.
Following pressure from UCD students' union, the college is to introduce gradually a system of anonymous marking, with students putting numbers on their written papers rather than names.
The union claimed a student who had a poor relationship with a lecturer could lose out if their name was on the paper. It was also concerned there could be a gender or racial bias.
A sub-committee of UCD's academic council introduced anonymous marking on a pilot basis to the medical faculty. It found no evidence of gender or racial bias and the grades awarded did not radically change.
However, the university has agreed to introduce anonymous marking to all faculties to "remove any potential" for bias. All faculties are expected to switch to the new system within the next two years.
The pilot study in the medical faculty included a survey of students' attitudes on the issue. It found the majority believed that without anonymous marking there was potential for "unfair grading". This opinion was strongest among female and overseas students.
Some 47 per cent of students said they would prefer to be graded anonymously, while 36 per cent held a similar view but said they "didn't feel very strongly about it".
Most of the colleges affiliated to the National University of Ireland require students to put their names on written papers. One of the few universities in Ireland which uses an anonymous system is Queen's University, Belfast.