Eurasian Insights: Strengthening Central Asian Studies in Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Eurasian Insights: Strengthening Central Asian Studies in Europe

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; Research and innovation

Project Summary

Between September 2018 and December 2021 the EISCAS project, encompassing 10 partners organizations, created a set of educational tools to improve the study and quality of education on Central Asian Studies (CAS) for European and other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), answering to the EU priority of “Open education and innovative practices in a digital era” for this field.

OUTPUTS – After our educational experts set up a precise didactic vision and work methodology with editors, project authors were trained to prepare handbook chapters based on intended learning outcomes (LOs). Already at proposal stage, we carried out a need-analysis to define the scope and target audience of this book. Surveys and interviews made it possible to assess which academic approaches dominate the multi-disciplinary Area Study of CAS and to analogically identify several fields that – by grace of the sheer size of their target reader groups – were expected to benefit most from EU-funding. History, Sociology, Anthropology and Political Science (including International Relations) turned out to be currently the most prominent disciplinary lenses to study Central Asia, and hence became our main focus for designing chapter the LOs.

Publishing the ‘European Handbook of Central Asian Studies: History, Politics, and Societies,’ was the most ambitious task of the project. It is currently the only up-to-date educational tool of such size and scope, and it is going to be instrumental to improve the quality and prospects of teaching of CAS in the EU as well to transfer the latest research findings into education and help teachers prepare these materials for classroom settings.

Additionally, the book places European research traditions, European perspectives and insights at the center of the research field by becoming a reference work for CAS all over the world.

The final handbook contains 1065 pages, with 22 chapters (2 introductions, 1 didactic user-guide, and 19 topical chapters) and 6 additional case studies, written by more than 22 authors. Each topical chapter contains a didactic dimension (learning outcomes, pre-reading, main-, follow up questions, class exercises, assignments, teaching instructions). The book features links to 17 online lectures (YouTube) and 6 case studies connecting chapter insights.

A special chapter is devoted to guide educators and other readers how to apply the handbook for teaching or self-study.

Other features are: guidelines on transliteration, a full glossary (over 130 entries), a list of abbreviations, 34 maps (of which 27 original maps especially created by editors and authors), 51 info boxes, 36 tables & figures, an overview of learning outcomes and a smart index (names, concepts, places, events).

For aesthetics and user-friendliness we used explanatory footnotes and placed scholarly references in the margins. Historical postcards from Tashkent are used as decorative elements. Each chapter has a ‘how to cite’ and recommended literature list.

The online publication is freely available through Open Access on the EISCAS (www.eiscas.eu) and publisher’s website (ibidem Verlag). There the paperback version can also be purchased for €99.90.

In line with the EU priority to develop curricula relevant to the labor market and societal needs the EISCAS project created a report with course creation guidelines for CAS educators and institutions titled: “How to Improve Central Asian Studies? Recommendations for Institutions and Students.”
Since CAS at EU HEIs are taught within various disciplines and in different forms (a set of elective courses, a specialization module, a full study, etc.), it was impossible to develop a one-size-fits-all course curriculum. Therefore our recommendations focus on student needs, career advice, common pitfalls, key elements of CAS courses for various formats, and shared insights from other educators.

EVENTS – To promote these outputs and strengthen the capacity of our own consortium the EISCAS project organized the following events:
– A Staff Training in Prague for its authors, organized by Charles University – November 2018.
– A Master Class for deserving students in Poznan, Poland, organized by Adam Mickiewicz University – May 2019.
– An International Conference in Ghent, Belgium, titled: “Past, current and upcoming dynamics in the Central Asian region, and their (possible) impacts for Europe” – organized by UGent – September 2021.
– A Book Launch with lectures in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, organized by IFEAC and the OSCE Academy – November 2021.
– A Webinar: “Editors on Central Asia: New Handbooks for a Maturing Field,” organized by George Washington University – December 2021.

ACHIEVEMENTS – By the end of the project we were able offer our handbook to over 10.000 scholars and students, provide classes and online lectures to over 3000 students, and share our curriculum design recommendations with over 150 educators located all over the world.

Project Website

http://www.eiscas.eu

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 344223,64 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIWERSYTET IM. ADAMA MICKIEWICZA W POZNANIU & Country: PL

Project Partners

• DUBLIN CITY UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW
• SCHOOL OF ORIENTAL AND AFRICAN STUDIES ROYAL CHARTER
• UNIVERZITA KARLOVA
• GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY CORPORATION
• UNIVERSITEIT GENT
• UNIVERSITE PARIS-SUD