The article covers the issue of introducing European standards in the training of high-level scientific and pedagogical staff in Ukraine. The legislative base of the implementation of a new model of postgraduate education functioning is analyzed. The legal area of implementing doctoral training system is substantiated, and the areas of improvement of its normative and legal support are actualized. The experience of the higher school in the development and implementation of educational and scientific training programs for Doctors of Philosophy is analyzed. The ways of developing doctoral training at national universities are defined. The hot-burning issues of this process in accordance with European tendencies are outlined.