Reframing interprofessional competencies through Ubuntu: A decolonial proposal

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Education
• Global Health

Background:

• Existing interprofessional education (IPE) competency frameworks are rooted in Western epistemologies, emphasizing individual performance.
• These frameworks misalign with Global South contexts, particularly in Africa, where care is communal and interdependent.
• There is a critical need to develop IPE competencies that reflect diverse epistemologies and support equitable, contextually relevant practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose an Ubuntu-informed reconceptualization of interprofessional competencies.
• To reframe interprofessional collaboration as collective becoming, emphasizing relationality and community.
• To address the misalignment of current IPE frameworks in diverse global contexts.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual reframing of interprofessional competencies using Ubuntu philosophy.
• Integration of Ubuntu values such as relational personhood, communal responsibility, and collective leadership.
• Application of a decolonial lens to interprofessional education.

Main Results:

• Ubuntu-informed competencies reposition collaboration as collective becoming, not just individual performance.
• This approach emphasizes ethical, relational, and community-oriented practice.
• It enhances cultural relevance in the Global South and deepens equity-oriented practice globally.

Conclusions:

• An Ubuntu-informed approach offers a decolonial perspective for interprofessional education.
• It enriches existing frameworks by highlighting belonging, mutual recognition, and shared humanity.
• Future steps include developing and piloting Ubuntu-informed competency frameworks in African health professions education.