Funded by the Volkswagen Foundation, SUMRICA ("Sustainable Urban Mobility Research in Central Asia") focused on collaboration between German and Central Asian (CA) universities, as well as a university in neighboring Iran. As part of the project collaboration, CA researchers were invited to conduct research visits to TU Berlin to intensify academic exchange on joint research topics with other German researchers in the field of sustainable transport. SUMRICA placed particular emphasis on the production of high-quality publications by the CA cooperation partners. This book includes articles written by researchers during their research visits, as well as additional articles by CA researchers from the partner universities.

A key objective of the SUMRICA project was to promote sustainable urban mobility in Central Asia by educating and training the next generation of researchers, planners, practitioners, and policymakers in the field of sustainable transport. This was achieved through a range of activities, including summer schools, workshops, research visits, and publications, all focused on three main themes: settlement structure and transport systems, mobility behavior and modal shift, and the future of public transport systems.