The issue of professional competence and innovative activity of teachers in higher education is of great relevance in the current stage. This significance arises primarily from the evolving perception of teachers as participants in the educational process. There is a growing perspective that teachers are not solely dominant in organizing the educational process but rather assume a role akin to that of administrators. Consequently, the question of professional competence and innovative activity becomes crucial, as the changing perception of the teacher's role also alters the understanding of the specific qualities required to effectively engage with students. This study aims to elucidate the constituents of professional competence and innovative professional activity within the context of higher education teachers. The object of this research encompasses the components inherent in the professional activity of teachers within higher educational institutions. study employed various research methods, including description, analysis and synthesis, comparison, and generalization. This study investigates the essence of the concept of "competence" and juxtaposes its meaning with that of "professional competence." The elucidation of the essential nature of professional competence for teachers is conducted. Furthermore, the research comprehensively analyzes the structural segmentation of a teacher's professional competence into distinct parts, describes the categorization of competence into groups, and provides a summary of existing classifications on the components of a teacher's professional competence. Simultaneously, this study examines the concept of "innovative professional activity of teachers in higher education institutions." To achieve this, the phenomenon is expounded upon through a comprehensive set of interconnected components that unveil the foundation of innovation in fulfilling the teacher's assigned functions and responsibilities. Moreover, the origins of a teacher's creativity and the requisite conditions for its manifestation are also identified. Within this study, the type of a teacher's activity is determined based on its specific orientation. This categorization enables the identification of essential competencies necessary for the successful execution of each respective activity. Moreover, the significance of individual components in facilitating a teacher's professional engagement is indicated. Additionally, a scheme has been constructed to illustrate the progression of creative thinking development among teachers. This scheme portrays the sequential stages involved in the formation of creative thinking. Consequently, it can be inferred that a teacher's creative thinking evolves in logical conjunction with other components, thereby facilitating the cultivation of their innovative domain. The abstract describes the main results of the research and defines the sequence of consideration of the basic issues of the work. Methods such as description, analysis and synthesis, comparison, and generalization became the methodological basis of the research. They were applied to determine the main aspects of the work and were used to formulate and implement the tasks of the article. At the same time, according to the conducted research, competence is a set of qualities that are characteristic of a teacher and help him to carry out his work. In particular, it is determined that the competencies of a teacher of a higher education institution are Motivational; Activity; Cognitive; Emotional; Volitional, Their combination allows the teacher to carry out his activities effectively and with benefit for pupils. At the same time, it was established that competence is special and general. It was determined that the steps of professional competence formation are the following stages: Stage 1 - imitation and copying; Stage 2 - creative imitation; Stage 3 - imitative creativity; Stage 4 - genuine creativity. Each stage involves the teacher's use of the knowledge acquired at the previous stage and their correct application. Therefore, it was established that the formation of professional competence is a long-term process that requires considerable knowledge and effort. The teacher must have experience of behavior in various situations and know the psychology of students in order to make timely decisions. At the same time, it was established that it is important to have a harmonious combination of different qualities, which allows you to correctly assess the situation and present yourself as a professional and at the same time as a person who can teach moral qualities to others.
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