Future Talents at Óbuda University: STEAM Excellence Program Successfully Concludes
Twenty exceptionally talented secondary school students successfully completed the 2025/2026 academic year of Óbuda University’s STEAM Excellence Program. During the ten-month program, participants explored key technologies shaping the future in university laboratories, supported by nearly thirty lecturers, researchers, and industry professionals. The initiative, supported by the Ministry of Culture and Innovation and the National Talent Program, also provided each student with an excellence scholarship of HUF 300,000.
At the closing ceremony, Dr. habil. Viktória Sugár, Vice-Rector for Education and Sustainable Development, praised the students for their perseverance, emphasizing that supporting talented young people and preparing the innovators of the future are among Óbuda University’s strategic priorities.
Zoltán Márton, Head of the STEAM Office and the Hungarian STEAM Platform, highlighted that the program’s motto – “Discover. Develop. Innovate.” – had become a genuine experience for the participants throughout the program.
Dr. habil. István Szabó, Director General of the Centre for Talent Management and Educational Development, presented the further development opportunities available at the University, including the Obuda Excellence Program, colleges for advanced studies, and opportunities to become involved in the work of university research groups.
The professional content of the program consisted of five interconnected modules. Participants explored areas including 3D design, artificial intelligence, robotics, sustainable architecture, and science communication, while also developing their innovation and presentation skills. The practical implementation of the program was supported by strategic partners such as the John von Neumann Computer Society and the International Experience Workshop Movement.
One of the most moving moments of the event was a speech by scholarship recipient Bonifác Istenes. He explained that the program had provided him not only with up-to-date professional knowledge, but also with confidence, a sense of community, and a clearer vision for his future. He emphasized that without the support of his mentors and fellow participants, he would not have decided to continue his studies at university.
At the end of the ceremony, Dr. habil. Viktória Sugár, Dr. habil. István Szabó, Dr. habil. Zsombor Zrubka, Prof. Dr. György Molnár, and Tamás Sándor presented certificates to the twenty graduating scholarship recipients. Zoltán Márton also expressed his special thanks to the program’s team of nearly thirty lecturers and experts, as well as to Dóra Arany-Barna and Attila Fodor, who played a key role in the implementation of the program as coordinators.
Beyond the knowledge gained, one of the most important outcomes of the STEAM Excellence Program is the professional community that developed among its participants. A significant proportion of the graduates will continue their studies at Óbuda University, where further talent development opportunities await them. The program concluded with a 100% talent retention rate, reinforcing the success of profile-based, pre-university talent development.
