Aligned to general intelligence, the construct of emotional intelligence emerged in the 1990s. Its value in a range of contexts has been extensively researched, particularly in business related fields. There is an emerging body of small-scale research within higher education contexts, however, this has been sporadic and geographically diverse. This paper undertakes a critical analysis of current empirical research and presents an overview of key competencies associated with emotional intelligence that appear to have value for higher education educators. The premise for this approach is that further work is needed in higher education research to synthesise existing research through literature reviews and meta-analyses. The findings indicate little congruence from the studies included in the literature review, although positive correlations were found around emotional intelligence and varying conceptions of academic well-being. The wide geographic spread of empirical research potentially raised cultural issues that appear important when considering research in this area.

Keywords: Emotional intelligence, emotional competences, higher education, lecturer, professional development.