Modelling the impact of emotional intelligence on academic performance: A conceptual and empirical approach in higher education

Universities develop students’ emotional intelligence-oriented education strategies to gain competitiveness in academic delivery. Formulation of those strategies requires empirical insights into students’ emotional intelligence. This paper attempts to develop a conceptual model that advocates the impact of students’ emotional intelligence (Emotional Quotient/EQ) on their educational achievement using an empirical model. The model proposes direct and indirect pathways influencing cognitive, social, and self-growth outcomes. By analysing critical secondary data (from 2005 to 2023), the researchers have explored the empirical relationship between students’ EQ and academic performance. The findings reveal that EQ is a positive, desirable, and realistic academic phenomenon across various disciplines, teaching methods, and academic settings. The study suggests that students’ EQ significantly influences their academic performance and outcomes, such as pursuing higher grades, gaining subject knowledge, active engagement, and real-world learning. This research aids universities, students, and organisational leaders in examining, determining, and regulating students’ EQ.