We are proud to announce that thanks to decades of advocacy work by THS (the Student Union at KTH), KTH will finally implement anonymous examinations starting from the spring semester of 2024. Initially, written on-campus exams will be anonymously graded. However, the decision clarifies that all examinations, provided it is practically feasible without negatively affecting their pedagogical value, will become anonymous in the future.

Without the advocacy work of THS, this would not be possible. Since our establishment in 1902, THS has been the leading driving force for positive development at KTH. This is a victory for students’ rights, and we are incredibly proud of it, but of course, the work does not stop here!

President’s decision on May 30, 2023

On May 30, 2023, the President of KTH made a decision in the matter, and it reads as follows (translated from Swedish):

“The President decides to instruct the University Director to develop a procedure for anonymizing exam answers for written on-campus examinations, such as written exams, partial exams (kontrollskrivning), and similar.”

and

“The work shall be reported to the President no later than October 2023, with the goal of transitioning to anonymization of exam answers from the spring semester of 2024, at suitable examination occasions.”

In addition to this, an assignment is also given to investigate the possibility of anonymous grading for assignments and quizzes in Canvas. Spring 2024 might seem far away, but for KTH, it is just around the corner. THS has pushed the groups at KTH responsible for the implementation to start even before the decision, making this timeline realistic.

What does this mean for me as a student?

The details of how it will work for students are not finalized yet, but the system that has been previously tested at KTH involves using an anonymized code instead of your name and personal identification number on your exam. This code is then matched in the system, and after grading is completed, your exam is linked to your personal information. The examiner will still need to see your details when determining your grade, but by then, the assessments will have already been graded.

There will be parallel work on anonymous submissions, which will also be reported to the President. Consequently, assignments in Canvas will eventually become anonymous, affecting take-home exams, project work, and assignments.

Not all types of examinations will be anonymous. Seminars, presentations, lab work, and oral exams cannot be made anonymous in a practically feasible manner. In such cases, other measures to ensure fairness and legal protection will be taken by KTH, and THS is actively working to address those issues.