DEVELOPING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE OF UNIVERSITY TEACHERS: STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCING PROFESSIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND WELL-BEING

Abstract

This article examines the role of emotional intelligence (EI) in enhancing the professional effectiveness of university teachers. Emotional intelligence is defined as the ability of an individual to recognize, understand, and effectively manage one’s own emotions as well as the emotions of others. In the modern education system, a teacher’s emotional competence has become one of the key indicators of professional success. Educators with a high level of EI are capable of establishing trustful relationships with students, maintaining composure in complex pedagogical situations, and making balanced decisions by managing their emotional responses.

The study revealed that the development of emotional intelligence contributes to preserving teachers’ psychological well-being, increasing resilience to stress, and improving professional performance. Moreover, EI helps prevent emotional burnout and sustain motivation in the teaching profession. Alongside theoretical analysis, the research considered practical approaches—training programs aimed at developing emotional intelligence and their implementation within higher education institutions.

A short-term program titled “Mindful Teacher” was designed to enhance teachers’ skills of self-regulation, empathy, and emotional control. The results showed an improvement in participants’ emotional stability and job satisfaction. The findings confirm the importance of strengthening emotional competence in the system of teacher training and highlight the practical value of EI development programs for improving educators’ overall well-being and professional efficiency.