Introduction Academics in higher education face immense, systemic stressors that challenge their well-being. Current research on Psychological Capital (PsyCap) often treats it as a static, individual trait, overlooking the profound influence of the academic environment. Methods This study addresses this gap by conducting a meta-ethnography of 19 qualitative and mixed-methods studies (2020–2024) from diverse international contexts. It explores how academic PsyCap (hope, efficacy, optimism, resilience) is developed and eroded, utilizing the Multi-System Resilience Model (MSMR) and the Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) framework. Results The analysis reveals that PsyCap is not a static trait but a dynamic ecological process. While resources such as mastery experience and collegial support (microsystem) build PsyCap, it is actively depleted by institutional pressures, often manifesting as 'cruel optimism.' This creates a paradox in which individuals are forced to be ‘resilient by themselves' against systemic failures. Discussion Interventions must therefore shift from individual coping to systemic, institutional reform.
Wang et al. (Mon,) studied this question.