Exploring Ubuntu Values through Appreciative Inquiry: A Workshop-based Engagement with Health Care Professionals at a South African Higher Education Institution

The Ubuntu philosophy, rooted in the values of community, care, respect, hospitality, and human interconnectedness, has increasingly been acknowledged as a vital framework for transforming education, particularly within the African context. Originating from Southern Africa, Ubuntu has influenced global discourses, resonating with similar philosophies in Asia and Europe, and championed by influential figures such as Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. This study explores how Ubuntu values can enhance teaching, learning, and practice in higher education through a workshop-based engagement with healthcare professionals at a South African Higher Education Institution in Limpopo Province. Using a qualitative approach grounded in Appreciative Inquiry (AI), the study aimed to uncover the potential of Ubuntu in rehumanising education and patient care amid prevailing neoliberal and colonial education systems. A one-day workshop involving thirty-two participants (26 health educators and six facilitators) was conducted, focusing on Ubuntu values in patient care through scenario-based discussions. Participants were purposively sampled from the Faculty of Health Sciences, representing disciplines such as Nursing, Pharmacy, Dietetics, and Optometry. Data were collected through focus group discussions and were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s six-step framework in ATLAS.ti. Four major themes emerged, corresponding to the AI phases: Discovery (important values in healthcare), Dream (collaboration and teamwork), Design (overlooked Ubuntu values), and Destiny (values not specific to healthcare). The findings highlight the relevance of Ubuntu in enhancing humanised care and call for the integration of indigenous philosophies into academic curricula. The study advocates for systemic efforts to train educators in Ubuntu values to foster inclusive and culturally grounded higher education.