150 years of innovation - Henkel inspires the next generation through hands-on STEM learning

Henkel, the global adhesive technologies and consumer brands company, has marked its 150^th anniversary by bringing its Forscherwelt STEM education programme to local home-educated students, as part of a special event at its UK headquarters in Hemel Hempstead.

The event brought together employees, partners and community representatives to celebrate Henkel’s 150 legacy of innovation, while giving young people hands-on experience in science, problem-solving and creative thinking.  

A key feature of the day was the delivery of its Forscherwelt programme ‏(also known as Researchers’ World). Forscherwelt is an internationally recognised STEM-based programme which gives young students early exposure and hands-on experience with STEM activities and subjects. The initiative reflects Henkel’s focus on using its anniversary to celebrate 150 years of innovation, and support the skills, curiosity and confidence of the next generation. 

More than 50 students attended the event and took part in activities including testing bond strength, creating glue sticks and investigating water hardness. Since launching in the UK in 2025, Forscherwelt has reached over 2000 students across 36 workshops, helping students build confidence in STEM subjects through practical, age-appropriate experiments. 

Speaking about Henkel’s 150^th anniversary celebrations and Forscherwelt, Sutinder Bhandal, President Henkel UK & Ireland said: “Our 150^th anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate Henkel’s long history of innovation and expertise that have shaped our business for generations. From our origins in pioneering the first self-acting detergent, Henkel has build a 150-year legacy of developing products that deliver real value for customers. Forscherwelt is a practical way for us to help young people experience science and allows us to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators. 

“We are particularly proud to open the programme to home-educated students as part of our anniversary celebrations. As an inclusive company, we want to ensure more young people have access to accessible and inspiring STEM learning opportunities.”

Forsherwelt has been rolled out in the UK in conjunction with the Engineering Development Trust ‏(EDT). Its inclusion in the anniversary celebrations highlighted Henkel’s commitment to supporting education and helping to develop future talent.

Speaking about their involvement in the programme, Julie Feest, OBE, CEO of EDT and Industrial Cadets said: “Our partnership with Henkel has enabled us to bring Forscherwelt to young people across the UK, creating exciting, hands-on STEM experiences that inspire curiosity and confidence. Extending the programme to home-educated learners is another important step towards ensuring more young people can develop their skills to help them thrive in the future. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved together and look forward to building on this success.”

About EDT and Industrial Cadets
EDT is a UK wide educational charity, delivering and accrediting 50,000+ experiences through the Industrial Cadets Awards each year. With over 35 years of experience connecting employers with young people and educators, EDT provides inspiring opportunities for young people to explore the exciting world of STEM, and the variety of rewarding future careers available.

EDT developed Industrial Cadets with support from industry to provide a benchmark accreditation, mapping activities against a skills and competency framework. Inspired by its Patron, His Majesty King Charles III, Industrial Cadets is the “Kitemark” award for young people engaging with the world of work, providing much needed insights and real-life experiences. For more information on EDT and the programmes available, visit etrust.org.uk.