Regional administration is considered in the dissertation from the standpoint of the institutional approach, the author's definition of the notion "Regional Administration Institute" and its conceptual model are proposed, taking into account European and domestic experience in their organic relationship. The research analyzes the historical foundations of regional administration on Ukrainian lands, its further evolution, the experience of regional administration in the European Union and ways for its improving in Ukraine according to national traditions and European standards in their organic interconnection. It was proved the presence on Ukrainian lands of ancient traditions of democratic governance with election of all administrative bodies at the local level that corresponds to general trends of European civilization. The author examines the various historical forms of self-government on the Ukrainian lands (Popular assembly law, Magdeburg law, Cossack self-government). The detailed analysis of the Zemstvos, which became an example of effective decentralization and contributed to the growth of national consciousness of Ukrainians, is presented. It was confirmed the presence in the European Union of effective supranational regional policy. Considering the European experience of cross-border cooperation, as one of its directions, the author states that Ukraine has underutilized this possibility, while the EU enlargement and European neighborhood policy give wide opportunities for that. The formation of regional policy in Ukraine is considered as a necessary component for the development of the Regional Administration Institute. The basic problems of regional administration in Ukraine were revealed. At present the key role in the solution of local issues belongs to the state that acts via local public administrations. Local self-government exists only at the level of village and town that contradicts the international political and legal practice, the European Charter of Local Self-Government and other EU documents. At the same time the extension of sub-national institutions responsibility and decentralization - transfer of competence to the elected officials representing the communities - has been characteristic feature in many European Union countries over the past decades. There was grounded the expediency for the use of French and Polish experience of decentralization in Ukraine, the need for the introduction of local self-government at the level of districts and regions, providing them with the status of territorial communities (self-governing collectives). However, it is noted the importance of further state control over the local authorities from the prefect. It is stated that as a result of decentralization local self-government bodies will become the main actors of regional administration. The process of creating self-sufficient territorial communities is studied in detail. The reforms of the last decades in Sweden, Denmark, Latvia and other countries, which provided integration of territorial units of the base level, showed that this process was not entirely voluntary. It was regulated by the state. This experience should be taken into account in Ukraine within the ongoing process of territorial communities' integration. There were suggested grounds for improving the effectiveness of regional administration based on the best European practices such as: development of investment activities, operation of regional development agencies and inter-municipal associations, implementation of cross-border cooperation with the regions of the EU countries. It was noted that the aggressive policy of the Russian Federation in relation to neighbouring states, the attempts to influence internal political processes objectively limits the possibilities of cross-border cooperation of the Eastern regions of Ukraine. This factor also does not allow to use the French experience of asymmetric decentralization foreseeing the provision of certain territories with special status as it can catalyze centrifugal tendencies and therefore carry a real threat to the integrity of the state. The author emphasizes the human resources component, the necessity of civil servants' training at the regional level as well as necessary information support as important preconditions for successful creation of efficient regional administration institute.
