Abstract
The research relevance was determined by the growing complexity of pedagogical interaction and the intensification of social, cultural, and cognitive contradictions within contemporary higher education, which required not only subject knowledge but also advanced professional and social competences, including tolerance. The study aimed to substantiate teacher tolerance as an integral professional competence and as a methodological principle for resolving pedagogical contradictions in the university educational process. The research was based on philosophical and pedagogical analysis, synthesis and generalisation of theoretical sources, comparative analysis, and reflection on pedagogical practice in higher education. The study examined the phenomenon of teacher tolerance in the context of ongoing transformations in higher education and analysed contradictions inherent in the university educational process, which were classified as global, partial, and situational. The study established that tolerance functions not only as a personal quality but also as a methodological principle that ensured the constructive resolution of pedagogical contradictions. The close relationship between tolerance and critical thinking was analysed, with particular emphasis on dialectical reasoning and the principle of complementarity as alternatives to dichotomous “either-or” approaches prevalent in educational practice. Pedagogical interaction within the “teacher-student” system, the risks of pseudo-tolerance, and the imbalance between knowledge-oriented and activity-based educational models were emphasised. The study also identified and systematises key directions, forms, and methods for fostering tolerance among higher education teachers, particularly within professional development and continuing education programs. The practical value of the research results was determined by the applicability by higher education teachers, teacher educators, and developers of professional development programs to enhance pedagogical decision-making, conflict resolution, and the overall quality of higher education