Student perspectives on stigma in higher education: A cross-cultural study in Ukraine, Spain, and Switzerland

This study explores how students in Ukraine, the Basque Country (Spain), and Switzerland perceive and experience stigma in higher education. Using qualitative data from 1953 participants, it applied a free association task and IRaMuTeQ analysis to map stigma's meanings across contexts. A shared understanding emerged: stigma is framed as a multidimensional process rooted in symbolic exclusion, discrimination, and structural injustice . Emotional distress (e.g., shame, loneliness) and institutional barriers (e.g., unequal access, limited support) were common themes. Cultural nuances included Ukraine's emphasis on post-Soviet systemic exclusion, Spain's focus on emotional pain and social rejection, and Switzerland's highlighting of intersectional inequities tied to race, language, gender, and class. Students without direct experience often used more abstract or formalized language, while those with self-reported experience offered more situated and context-specific insights. Conceptions of inclusion varied: empathy and solidarity (Spain), personal responsibility (Ukraine), and normative critique (Switzerland). The findings call for culturally responsive, participatory approaches to foster equitable academic environments.