A leading university has experienced a potential data breach after a USB stick containing “confidential” details of up to 900 students went missing.

NUI Galway, with a student population of over 18,000, confirmed in a statement on their website that the USB may have contained student names, their student numbers and exam results.

It is understood that the details of up to 5pc of the student population, some 900 students, were included on the “mislaid” memory device.