University of Limerick has sent a message to all their graduates ahead of the graduation ceremony asking them to send a recording of how they pronounce their names, to avoid any mistakes on the day when called to collect their parchment.
Speaking to RTÉ's Drivetime, Ceremonies Manager with UL Aelish Nagle said that all Irish universities should do this out of respect and that it's for international students but also Irish names.
Using the Namecoach app, which is used by 90% of universities in the US as well as schools and hospitals, she said that feedback from students has been very positive.
Ms Nagle said that the number of international students increased in recent years and their parents may not have been able to attend a graduation and watched online via streaming.
She said that name pronunciation important factor for them and in the past, nine out of ten times despite best efforts they could have been wrong.
She said that the app is easy to use and is appreciated by all, even those members of the faculty who are not Irish in terms of how to pronounce Irish names.
Ms Nagle said: "It should be used in other universities and getting people's names right is the best thing you can do, it can only work in your favour.
"Conferring is often the last engagement with a university, so it's nice for a student that their last memory is a positive one."
