Oxford University is set to feminise its curriculum by requesting that 40 per cent of recommended authors on philosophy reading lists are women.

Academic staff at the university’s Philosophy Faculty have been asked to use writers’ first names rather than their initials when compiling reading lists, to make it clearer which are female.

It is the latest in a series of overtures by Oxford University to female students, which have included the introduction of a “take home” History finals paper and lengthening maths and computer science exams by 15 minutes.

The move also comes amid campaigns by students at a number of universities for courses to include more works by writers from black and ethnic minority backgrounds.