With the development of information society it is becoming particularly needed to construct high-quality system of higher education, aimed at shaping the skills of life-long learning. This is determined by the existing contradictions between continuously increasing volume of information required for people to maintain their competitiveness on the labour market and limited opportunities of traditional educational system to gain knowledge, abilities, skills and other competencies. To resolve this contradiction, educational programs should, above all, be consistent with the principles of multilevel, complementarity, handleability, continuity, integration and flexibility. In our view, significant prospects in relation to these principles and improvement of modern higher educational system are presented by the introduction and development of university e-learning environment. The paper presents barriers to the introduction of e-learning environment in Ukrainian universities, as well as discusses professors’ opinions, received via a sociological survey.

The purpose of this research is to determine the IT competence, willingness and readiness of students to use distance learning system to fulfill their learning goals. To implement the objectives of the study, we used the results of a students' survey conducted to determine the opinion on the use of information technology as a means to improve the learning process. We concentrated our efforts on a target group of IT students, whose IT background knowledge enabled them to easily master new software tools and technologies. In this paper, the creation, implementation and operation of a distance learning system in DSTU is discussed. Also stated are general requirements for distance learning system and administrative actions that should precede the process of its implementation.Biographical notes: Kateryna Yalova is an Associate Professor at the Department of Computing Software Systems in DSTU. She is interested in the effective use of information and web-based technologies to enhance learning of IT-students. She has over 27 publications with special emphasis on: ICTs, tools for distance learning. Now she participates in International Research Network for study and development of new tools and methods for advanced pedagogical science in the field of ICT instruments, e-learning and intercultural competences.Valerii Zavgorodnii is an Associate Professor at the department of Computing Software Systems in DSTU. His scientific and work interests are Databases, Operational Systems, Architecture and Development of Software, Software for Automated Control Systems. He has over 45 scientific publications, the most important of them are those concerning: the development of a university webportal, automated systems of students' knowledge monitoring and distance learning tools for IT students. Now he participates in International Research Network for the study and development of new tools and methods for advanced 26 K. Yalova et al.pedagogical science in the field of ICT instruments, e-learning and intercultural competences.Maryna Romanyukha is an Associate professor at the Department of Translation in DSTU. Her research interests are Cognitive Linguistics, Stylistics, Distance Learning and e-learning, ICTs in teaching foreign languages, e-learning for students of the Arts. She has over 26 publications, the most recent of them deal with comparative analysis of e-environment in different universities. Now she participates in International Research Network for study and development of new tools and methods for advanced pedagogical science in the field of ICT instruments, e-learning and intercultural competences.Lyudmyla Sorokina is Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology in DSTU. She is Vice-dean of the Faculty of Management, Economics, Sociology and Philology and at this level she has extensive experience and influence in forming students' curriculum and shaping its ideology. She has over 100 publications, 4 teaching aids, 2 monographs. She takes active part in international conferences on innovative teaching instruments ...