The Dialectic of Mastery and Efficiency: How Metrics Are Killing Pedagogical Authenticity

The study analyzes the conflict between pedagogical skills and administrative efficiency in the higher education system using mixed methods: questionnaires, in-depth interviews and a documentary analysis of university regulations. Analysis through the prism of philosophy (Marx, Heidegger, Foucault) shows that metrics cause alienation of labor, form an «inauthentic being» and stimulate formalism. Emotional burnout is noted: 57% of respondents associate stress with the need to balance between «live» teaching and bureaucracy. The formalism in evaluating the work of teachers leads to the fact that they participate in competitions for the sake of increasing the university's rating, rather than professional growth. At the same time, ways of harmonization are proposed: the introduction of flexible criteria (evaluation of author's methods, student reviews), the creation of free creativity zones and philosophical seminars. The proposed measures are aimed at preserving the authenticity of the teacher in the face of pressure from management. The study confirms that the dialectic of «mastery» and «efficiency» is not a dead end, but a point of growth for universities, where indicators should become benchmarks, not fetters.