BIPS Institute Seminar: Scaling up community-based physical activity promotion: opportunities and challenges

At the BIPS Institute Seminar, Jana Semrau presented a transdisciplinary perspective on scaling up community-based physical activity promotion. Her talk focused on how successful pilot projects in health promotion can be systematically expanded and implemented at scale to achieve sustainable public health impact.

Semrau noted that many physical activity promotion initiatives remain confined to pilot stages and achieve limited structural change. To move beyond these stages, targeted approaches to scaling up need to be developed, tested and evaluated. The presentation drew on the VERBUND project (2020–2024), which focused on the design and testing of a scaling-up and implementation concept for community-based physical activity promotion.

She outlined the key phases of the project, including the participatory development of a scaling-up concept, participatory testing in selected pilot municipalities, and the creation of a VERBUND manual. The evaluation of the testing phase was conducted at multiple levels, covering context and process analyses as well as outcomes at individual and population levels.

The talk also addressed structural change, sustainability and resource efficiency as core elements of the project. In addition, Semrau reflected on key opportunities and challenges associated with a transdisciplinary approach that systematically integrates science, practice and other societal stakeholders.

Jana Semrau is Professor of Sport, Exercise and Health Promotion at the University of Bremen.

Here you can watch the full talk.