The need for the integration of emotional intelligence skills in business education

Since the concept of 'emotional intelligence' (EI) was first introduced, it has been developed, adapted and embraced by the business world and more recently, by academics. EI skills have been strongly associated with dynamic leadership, satisfying personal life experiences and success in the workplace. This has resulted in calls for the incorporation of EI competencies in university curricula. This paper highlights the importance of EI and demonstrates the recognized need for well-developed EI levels in the workplace, and in particular for accountants. It outlines recent research studying emotional intelligence in relation to university students, and concludes with a call for university educators to integrate EI skills in their courses.