Eppendorf Focuses Outreach Programmes to Advance STEM Education in Europe

Eppendorf, a leading international life science company that develops, manufactures, and distributes instruments, consumables, and services for use in laboratories around the world, today highlights its European outreach activities 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 yrs. 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 a variety of programs 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 Biology, 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 lab-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 – as a combination of Girls’ Day and Boys’ Day –, 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 the 24th of 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 center dedicated to the Company’s history, and practical experience in the laboratory.

Appealing to all ages, an Eppendorf pipette was a centerpiece in a recent exhibition in Spain. During the Hospibrick and Click Fair, a joint initiative between LEGO and Playmobile, Eppendorf’s LEGO pipette formed part of Hispalug’s science-focused display alongside a microscope, test tubes, and DNA models, promoting science outside of a conventional laboratory.

Together, these initiatives are helping young people across Europe engage with science, gain access to STEM educational resources, as well as highlighting the wide range of career opportunities in the life science sector.

Mathias Wenisch, Vice President Sales, Indirect Sales Area, at Eppendorf Group, said: “As a global leader in scientific innovation, we recognize that the future of the European STEM sector depends entirely on inspiring the next generation of scientists. Through our outreach programs 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.“