Introduction. In the context of innovative transformations aimed at the need to train competitive and high-quality personnel in the higher education system, the problem of pedagogical conservatism of teachers is becoming more urgent. The purpose of the study is to identify factors that contribute to the development of pedagogical conservatism of university teachers, and strategies to overcome it. Materials and methods. The study involved 1754 teachers of nine universities of the Russian Federation aged 25 to 65 years (70% women, 30% men). Descriptive statistics methods and correlation analysis were used. Research Results and Discussion. To assess the pedagogical conservatism of university teachers, the following criteria were developed: psychological readiness for innovative pedagogy, the prevalence of psychological barriers in pedagogical practice, stereotyped behavior and consciousness, stereotyped and prescription pedagogical activity, professional stagnation. The socio-psychological climate in the teaching staff, the lack of innovative technologies in teaching practice, a stop in personal and professional development, the biological aging of teachers, a large study load, lack of material incentives, the implementation of the Federal State Educational Standard in higher education as criteria for pedagogical conservatism. Strategies for overcoming a stressful situation in pedagogical activity are identified with the help of constructive (assertive actions, entering into social contact, seeking social support) overcoming models. Non-constructive (cautious actions, impulsive actions, avoidance, indirect actions, associative actions, aggressive actions) models of behavior based on the S. Hobfall's methodology are presented. A regularity was established that the higher the indicators of pedagogical conservatism (templates and prescription of pedagogical activity, high motivation for failure, high emotional dissatisfaction with pedagogical work, unpreparedness for risk, intolerance to uncertainty), the lower the constructive and higher the non-constructive strategies of behaviour against the background of reduced stress resistance. Groups of factors (psychological unpreparedness for innovative activity, emotional burnout) that contribute to the development of pedagogical conservatism were found. Conclusion. The results of the study can be used in the process of psychological and pedagogical support of the professional activities of a university teacher in order to optimize and improve the quality of educational activities.