Stigmatisation in higher education in a Spanish university: student representations of diversity, inclusion and institutional responsibility

Stigmatisation can undermine participation, belonging and well-being in higher education. This study examined how students represent stigmatisation and connect it to diversity, inclusion and perceived institutional responsibility. Grounded in social representations theory, it used a cross-sectional qualitative textual design. A non-probabilistic snowball sample of 519 students from one Spanish university completed an online free-association task based on the Grid Elaboration Method, providing four words and brief explanations in response to “stigmatisation”. Spanish-language responses were analysed in IRaMuTeQ using similarity analysis and descending hierarchical cluster analysis (Reinert method). Seven classes formed two broader branches. The first constructed stigmatisation as categorisation and discrimination affecting LGBTQ+ people, migrants, and people with mental health conditions or functional diversity, with perceived consequences including emotional suffering and academic harm. The second connected stigmatisation to unmet support needs, rigid assessment practices and insufficient institutional responsiveness. By mapping spontaneous associations across multiple forms of difference, the study shows how social marking, psychosocial and educational consequences, and perceived institutional responsibility are organised within a shared representational field. The findings suggest that responses to stigmatisation may benefit from combining awareness-raising with attention to support provision, pedagogical and assessment practices, staff preparation, and communication about inclusion initiatives.