The article analyzes the functions and structural components of the positive image of a teacher of higher education. The focus is on the fact that the importance of the image phenomenon in social interaction has grown rapidly in the course of social change. The importance of the human factor is growing, which allows the individual to present himself to society as an individual. That is why the problem of formation and development of the image of teachers of higher education in our time is receiving special attention. To achieve this goal, a set of interrelated and interdependent methods was used: analysis of scientific literature to substantiate the pedagogical conditions for the development of the professional image of a modern teacher of higher education; generalization, synthesis, systematization to clarify the state of the problem and theoretical interpretation of pedagogical features of a positive image. It was found that the image formed as a result of human existence in society is characterized by dynamism, flexibility, as it is able to change depending on the external conditions and requirements of its bearer. Given the fact that image is a complex socio-psychological phenomenon that can be studied from different points of view, modern science offers three main approaches to the typology of personality image: functional, contextual, comparative. It is concluded that the main functions of the image for a teacher of higher education are: interpersonal adaptation; coverage of the best personal and business qualities; concealment of negative personal characteristics, with the help of clothes, hair, makeup, refined manners to distract people from their shortcomings; overcoming age limits; function of social training.