This paper investigates the complex impact system of the science centers, that play a key role in STEM career orientation and a draft model, for measuring these impacts. A review of the range of science centers in Hungary and an examination of the location of them provides an overview of this industry. Presentation diverse goals of science centers, their functions, along with the spatial effects of different activities, based on the comparative analysis of two institutions is presented herein. In addition to that, the paper also discusses the rural development impacts of science centers through a promising practice, and investigates innovative ways in which science center’s support public education and STEM career guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research is based on the review of the current international literature on science centers. Subsequently, the Hungarian science center ecosystem is described through the analysis of public data, supplemented by the authors' personal, professional experiences in the analysis of the institutions and projects presented using a case study approach. The results show that the importance of science centers goes far beyond their function as tourist attractions, and that regular participation in their programs can enrich the knowledge base of their host city and agglomerations. The study indicates that science centers have all the required tools and methodological experience to effectively support public education in STEM fields. Finally, their ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances, during the COVID-19 epidemic, demonstrates a “future-oriented” approach and tremendous innovation potential that are inherent in these institutions.

Sustainable Development is hard to imagine without a responsible, smart society. Accordingly, Education and Awareness-raising are essential prerequisites for social knowledge and acceptance of Sustainability. This research examines the role of today's innovative educational and awareness-raising institutions and science centres in presenting Sustainable Development issues playfully and experientially, and thus in shaping the attitudes of upgrowing generations and adults. The research aims to investigate how and to what extent science centres in Hungary reflect in their content and operations the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) declared by the UN and Sustainability in a broader sense. A questionnaire survey was carried out by contacting 14 science centres, supplemented by an analysis of the external communication of the institutions and a telephone inquiry. The results indicate that instead of representing the diversity of SDGs, on average, only 30 % of them are presented, and science centres are highly specialised, which threatens equal access and fairness. This study is outstanding in several respects: it contributes to the development of institutions by presenting promising practices, and its academic relevance is given by the fact that research on the operation of science centres is still lacking in Hungary.

This research focuses on a hardly studied dimension of Sustainability, on its aspects of Human Resource Management (HRM). The examination of the topic is justified by the fact that the emergence of Sustainable Human Resources Management (SHRM) as one of today's modern, innovative HR approaches has not yet been examined in Hungary. Thus, the research fills a gap. The study aims to investigate how and to what extent Sustainability is implemented in the HRM practices of businesses of different sizes in the Northwest-Hungarian Economic Development Zone. The questionnaire survey forming the basis of this study was carried out by interviewing managers and HR professionals of the companies. The results indicate that Sustainability appears in extremely diverse ways and degrees in the examined organizations. The vast majority of them still consider Sustainability to be a primarily environmental issue. During their operations, the companies highlight the economic and environmental aspects of Sustainability and, despite the labor shortage, do not place a significant emphasis on Sustainability in the areas of Staffing, Compensation Management, and Staff Development. As a result of this research, Széchenyi István University ensures, through the development of HR training, that future professionals can develop and operate the model of SHRM in practice by taking into account new aspects and applying a complex approach. The results of the study will not only provide new value for the academic sphere but can also contribute to more efficient and fair operation of businesses.

This research examines the impact of the project ‘Development of Science Experiential Education Programs and Science Experiential Centres’, implemented by the Mobilis Science Center in Győr between 2017 and 2021. The professional and societal relevance of the program and research lies in the growing importance of STEM disciplines and careers worldwide in recent decades, ensuring a long-term supply of skilled workers. A vital tool for this is the development of curricula that meet the needs of the 21st century, as well as the innovation of teaching methods in science subjects. The research involves a review of the literature on experiential science teaching and subject attitudes, the role of science centers, and relevant project documents. The present research, involving 592 students, focused on attitudes toward technology and science, openness to STEM careers, and the experiences and memories of participants in the student lab theme days. The results of the statistical data analyses confirm the effectiveness of the experiential education methods used in the theme day sessions, as the students’ openness to STEM careers is higher for those who participated in the sessions compared to the non-participants. There are significant differences in the attitudes of girls and boys participating in the program toward science subjects. The results suggest that the success in stimulating interest in science was mainly due to the experiential nature of the sessions. Moreover, the research found that the project led to the strengthening of the participants’ personal and social skills. This study is the first to look at the impact of the project. The results shed light on how teaching STEM subjects using experiential pedagogical methods can contribute to the long-term effectiveness of Széchenyi István University’s enrollment efforts and lead to the economic success of companies in a region facing a significant labor shortage in STEM careers.