Science thrives when diverse perspectives, experiences, and talents come together. Yet across Europe and beyond, many people still face barriers to fully participating in higher education, research, innovation, and academic life.
Led jointly by the EELISA Communication Network and the EELISA Gender Equality and Diversity workgroup with the support of the EELISA Student Council, Science Has No Labels is an awareness campaign aimed at shedding light on about the structural inequalities in STEM while celebrating those actively working to overcome them.
This initiative features individuals and teams working to make science more inclusive, equitable, and accessible. Through their work in teaching, research, and advocacy, these scientists are helping dismantle barriers related to gender, ethnicity, migration status, age, nationality, religion, disability, socio-economic background, or sexual orientation, while shaping a scientific community where everyone can contribute and belong. They are also addressing these inequalities in the real world, creating innovations and initiatives that impact people beyond academia.
Each EELISA member institution has selected a participant or team from their community whose work reflects this commitment. Throughout March and April, their profiles and their stories will be gradually added to this page.
At the same time, the campaign also serves as an opportunity to promote key EELISA initiatives supporting inclusion, including the EELISA Joint Offer Related To Gender, Inclusiveness and Diversity & EELISA Inclusiveness Plan, which provide resources and learning opportunities to foster more inclusive academic environments across the alliance.
You can also follow the campaign as the stories are published on our social media channels — Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Bluesky.
Together, these contributions demonstrate that building a more inclusive scientific ecosystem is not only possible — it is already happening across EELISA. Because science truly has no labels. Science is for and by all!
Why it matters?
Higher education and research institutions play a key role in building inclusive societies. Yet inequalities persist in access to education, career opportunities, and representation in science.
The reality in Higher Education
Across Europe, surveys shows that barriers remain significant:
- 22% of students report experiencing discrimination during their studies.
- 19% report limitations to their studies due to disability, functional limitations, or health problems.
- Although women represent between 50% and 66% of higher education students, their presence remains uneven across disciplines, particularly in STEM fields.
- Students with disabilities report discrimination more than twice as often as students without disabilities.
- 48% of students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds say they could not cover an unexpected major expense, highlighting the impact of socioeconomic inequality on access to education.
- Evidence also shows that racial and ethnic discrimination persists in education. Around 25% of people of African descent in the EU report experiencing racism, while surveys across Europe also highlight discrimination affecting Roma communities, migrants, and other ethnic minority groups in access to education and academic opportunities.
- Source: EUROSTUDENT 8 Report
Workforce inequality
- Globally, according to the World Economic Forum, women make up only 28.2% of the STEM workforce, compared with 47.3% of the workforce in non-STEM sectors.
- Comparable global or European statistics on disability representation in STEM remain limited, but available evidence points to significant gaps. According to the U.S. National Science Foundation, people with disabilities represent only about 3% of the STEM workforce. In Europe, only around 50% of people with disabilities are employed, compared with about 75% of those without disabilities, according to Eurostat.
- Structural inequalities also affect racial and ethnic minorities. According to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, nearly half of people of African descent in the EU report experiencing racial discrimination over a five-year period, highlighting barriers that can affect access to education, employment, and career progression.
- Across OECD countries, immigrants earn on average 34% less when entering the labour market, reflecting structural barriers that can affect many sectors, including science and technology.
These inequalities do not only affect individuals—they shape who participates in science, what knowledge is produced, and which perspectives are represented.
Addressing these barriers is essential for building a scientific ecosystem that is fairer, more innovative, and more socially relevant.