A university has been hit with criticism due to guidelines encouraging students not to use the term 'Christian name'.

The University of Kent, which has campuses in Canterbury and Medway, is facing a backlash from freedom of speech and Christian advocacy groups, who say the advice is "irrational".

The university's Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity guide advises staff and students to "avoid the term ‘Christian name’"and "instead use ‘first name, given name, forename or personal name’" in the diversity section of the document.

But Tim Dieppe, head of policy at advocacy group Christian Concern, believes the institution is "displaying an irrational fear of using the term 'Christian', as if it is something to be ashamed of".

He told The Sun: "Christianity has provided the moral and spiritual foundation for Western civilisation.

"This move to police language is another symptom of the abandonment of Christianity."

Toby Young, founder of the Free Speech Union, told The Daily Mail the guidelines were an example of the 'woke movement' attempting to police language considered offensive, and that the trend was imported from American universities.

He went as far as saying: "You might even say we've been colonised.

"Policing language is a hallmark of every totalitarian society."

The university insists the guidelines are just that, and have been in place "for years, certainly pre-Covid".

A spokesperson told KentOnline: "We are committed to the creation and support of an inclusive and diverse community.

"As part of this we provide informal guidance for those who would like support in how to communicate in ways that make others feel welcome.

"These are not formal policies and are not enforced - they are intended as a point of reference to help staff and students feel confident in playing their part in creating an inclusive University community."