Laboratory consumables firm Eppendorf, through its European outreach activities, is supporting various initiatives dedicated to addressing persistent challenges in STEM education.
Demand for talent in strategic sectors such as digital technologies and healthcare continues to grow, whilst recent data shows that nearly 30% of EU students do not reach minimum proficiency in maths at the age of 15 years. The European Commission’s STEM Education Strategic Plan is intended to help reverse this trend and encourage more young people, especially girls, to pursue further study and careers in STEM. Against this backdrop, Eppendorf EMEA is supporting various programmes intended to spark scientific curiosity in young people, making science fun and accessible.
Through a long-standing collaboration of more than 10 years with the Vienna Open Lab, a joint venture between the Open Science association and the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Eppendorf EMEA delivered the annual Eppendorf Kids Academy in April 2026. This year’s week-long course brought together students from local schools for hands-on workshops where they gained experience in laboratory-based experiments, including using pipettes, performing simple chromatography and DNA extraction, and setting up cell cultures.
In Cambridgeshire, UK, Eppendorf EMEA is supporting STEM access through school partnerships and site visits. As part of the Hertfordshire County Council’s Access to All project, the company partnered with schools in Stevenage to welcome students to its UK headquarters, where they toured facilities and saw how Eppendorf’s instruments are used in life science research. Eppendorf also has an ongoing partnership with Hills Road Sixth Form in Cambridge, donating equipment including micropipettes, PCR machines, and microcentrifuges, to help students gain hands-on experience with quality laboratory tools.
Eppendorf hosts its own Corporate Kids Day event inviting school children to its laboratories to explore the variety of careers available in the life sciences. Kids Day is part of a German nationwide campaign day promoting stereotype-free career guidance, with the goal of introducing young people to a variety of career paths at an early age. As part of Eppendorf’s Kids Day 2026, held on 24 April, 25 children were invited to join their parents at the Hamburg HQ and spent time with teams in production, the so-called Future People technical academy, and R&D. The day also included a visit to the Eppendorf Forum, a centre dedicated to the Company’s history, and practical experience in the laboratory.
Mathias Wenisch, Vice President Sales, Indirect Sales Area EMEA, at Eppendorf Group, said: “As a global leader in scientific innovation, we recognise that the future of the European STEM sector depends entirely on inspiring the next generation of scientists. Through our outreach programmes and partnerships with local schools, we are widening access to STEM education, innovative scientific instruments, and work experience opportunities. By giving young people first-hand exposure, we hope to spark lasting excitement and curiosity, and inspire future scientists, doctors, and engineers.”