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.

Youth and social circus is a measure of intervention based on the combination of circus arts, sports and social-pedagogy. It targets the young but also various at-risk groups in order to support the empowerment and emancipation of individuals and assist with participants’ personal and social development by nurturing their self-esteem and trust in others, as well as by helping them to acquire social skills, express their creativity and realize their potential and become active citizens. In this approach, the primary goal is not to learn the circus arts, but rather to create social change because it helps individuals assume their place in a society. Various studies indicate that the socio-pedagogical and welfare impacts of social circus are undeniable. Due to these positive impacts, the surveys show that there is a growing need of formally educated youth and social circus professionals having not only knowledge in circus arts but also possessing a deep knowledge of pedagogy to work with the young and with people with fewer opportunities in the society.The project produces the first research based European full-degree curriculum of 180 ECTS in EQF level 6 of Youth and Social Circus Pedagogy with five national implementation plans to respond both to the shortage of the professionals and qualitative needs. After the project the programme begins at least in the partner organizations and it is expected to get adapted to other organizations and countries as well. It is possible for the students either to carry out the studies in one European country or construct the whole study programme by choosing the suitable modules from the European offer and that will be validated in each European country according to the Bologna declaration. The curriculum is free of charge and available to all Youth and Social Circus Schools, universities and NGO´s in social and education sector that would like to expand their activity to the youth and social circus instructor education. The programme includes a model for validation of prior formal, non formal and informal learning and a model for a personal study plan that supports both employability and mobility in Europe. This project bases on research and cooperation between four European universities, five social circus schools and European youth and social circus network Caravan. As the youth and social circus will also be part of official research based teacher education programmes in higher education institutions, the quality and the esteem of youth and social circus training is expected to rise significantly. This way the project improves and extends the offer of European high quality learning opportunities.The participants are social circus school trainers, pedagogical experts and social circus directors from 5 partner countries (Finland, Sweden, Ireland, France and Chezh republic), including the project partners: universities, youth and social circus schools and the international association «CARAVAN », a network in Brussels that gathers 22 youth and social circus schools, coming from 14 European countries and 1 Middle East country, Afganistan. The end-users, the young students of youth and social circus will also take part in planning, evaluation and developing the programme.As result of the project the future youth and social circus instructors, circus schools, various social and educational professionals will benefit from this project, enabling them to be equally educated in Europe as circus trainers, in order to work efficiently with the young and with different learners as well as to expand their employment potential around Europe. Due to the new European wide offer of youth and social circus pedagogy, the most benefitting target group are the young, notably those who are at the risk of marginalization, who will have new opportunities to join the Youth and Social Circus where the participants can develop various skills and potentials and maintain their physical and mental wellbeing in a learning environment that is professional, sportive, artistic, safe and fun. By transferring their new personal strengths and potentials gained at youth and social circus to other life contexts in education, employment and personal life, the young have better chances to join their societies as active citizens, that in turn will have a positive impact on the inclusion and harmonization of the population at local, regional, national and European levels.