Prosocial Foundations of Faculty Collaboration: A Systematic Review of Empathy and Gratitude in Indian Higher Education

Abstract

Background:
Faculty affiliation is gradually identified as a key handler of functional success and academic invention. However, emotional, and social factors affecting partnership—such as empathy and gratitude—endure underexplored in Indian higher education institutions (HEIs). Objective-
This study thoroughly studies peer-reviewed literature to examine how empathy and gratitude—key elements of emotional intelligence—simplify faculty relationship in Indian universities. Methods- Subsequent PRISMA 2020 parameters, 28 peer-revised articles published between 2013 and 2024 were selected from Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Thematic scrutiny was used to join findings, identify conceptual gaps, and offer mark-based proposals. Results- Empathy was found to improve social trust, interaction, and cooperative decision-making, while gratitude adopted emotional elasticity, peer detection, and shared support. Both behaviours served as psychological barriers during the post-COVID move to hybrid academic models. However, institutional orders, siloed units, and lack of emotional training remain major barriers. Suggestions- This study suggests mixing emotional intelligence into faculty development, promoting peer appreciation systems, and creating emotionally caring workplace cultures. Findings influence to theory on prosocial behaviour in academic world and inform policies for successful faculty interactions in Indian HEIs.