Development of ecological network of different taxonomic ranks is a weighty contribution to regional sustainable development. It proved to be among the most efficient ways to help preserve biological and landscape diversity. National eco-network in Ukraine is being formed alongside with European network. However, its development in this country is connected with certain problems existing on both national and local levels. Our analysis of national eco-network’s present-day state showed that Ukraine is rather successful in the concept’s realization. The network’s territory dynamically increases; legal and regulatory framework and methodical/applied approaches are being developed; and neighboring states are closely and intensely cooperated with in questions of formation of econetwork elements within boundary territories. However, the major goal - formation of eco-network as an integral system with its maximally possible continuity and inter-linkage of component elements - has not yet been achieved. The situation is explained by a number of problems occurring in juridical, economic and organizational spaces.

The purpose of the article is to study the competitiveness of higher education in the context of ensuring the sustainable development of the state. The methodological basis of this article is a set of such methods as system analysis, logical generalization, analysis and synthesis, statistical analysis, abstract-logical, induction and deduction, graphic and others. In order to achieve the goal, the authors identified the levels of competitiveness of the higher education system and established the relationship between them; the dynamics of activity indicators of higher education institutions were studied; the main components of the higher education system, elements of its internal and external environment are clarified; the factors affecting the increase in the competitiveness of higher education in the context of ensuring sustainable development are outlined. The authors prove that the decisive influence of higher education on sustainable development lies in the fact that education is the key to understanding the essence of the paradigm of sustainable development and expanding humanity's capabilities in solving issues of economic development and environmental protection.

Abstract. The results of the Prut River water quality monitoring in the last 7 years are dealt with. Attention is paid to situation of water quality worsening and to the reasons that caused it. Application of the method of water quality index's integrated assessment has confirmed that it is not solely the degree of anthropogenic impact that affects the water quality, but also the effects of natural factors. IntroductionHuman disturbance of the environment most intensely affects the territories of big urban settlements, and the hydrosphere is among the most vulnerable environmental components.Growing attention towards river water quality which is an indicator of ecosystem's state insistently challenges the study of the conditions, factors and processes that form the water chemical composition and quality. The study of rivers state within urbanized territories should specially focus on such water pollution sources as waste discharge, municipal runoff, etc. Analysis and assessment of natural and anthropogenic effects on hydrological regime of rivers and hydro-chemical characteristics of water would allow for better prediction of their spatial-temporal dynamics. The present study aims at establishment of spatial regularities in the Prut River water quality changes within the territory of Chernivtsi; substantiation of factors that cause such changes; and disclosure of negative consequences thereof.

The article identifies the main conditions and resources for the formation and development of tourist activity in Chernivtsi region as a cross-border region. Due to its spatial predisposition, particular attention is paid to socio-geographical assessment and diagnosis of favourable and unfavourable factors, as well as those that determine the functional-sectoral structure and territorial organization of tourism activity. As a group of them, a socio-geographical position (cross-border provision,); settlement network, demo-reproduction situation and employment of the population; level of economic development; the potential of tourism services. In terms of population density, Chernivtsi Oblast is fourth in Ukraine and this figure is higher by 38.1 % than the average in Ukraine. The most populated are plain and foothill areas. The housing stock of the region is sufficient and corresponds to the national level – 22.1 m2/per inhabitant, better the living conditions are provided by the villagers (23.4 m2/person) than urban (20.2 m2/per person). The oblast has a considerable length and extensive network of communication paths. This contributes to the intensity of transportation, commodity exchange, the provision of the consumer market, increasing the opportunities for the transfer of tourists. However, in recent years, road construction has been at a much slower pace than in previous periods. The work of educational, medical, cultural and artistic institutions plays an important role in tourism employment. The article provides a detailed analysis of the functioning of the social infrastructure of the region. Bukovina as a cross-border region has many structural components of recreational resources; it is a region of multifaceted summer, winter, mountain-sports, mass cognitive-recreational rest. The use of statistical methods and quantitative indicators allowed to identify the features and specifics of tourism activity, to substantiate the prospects for improving the organization, structure and sustainable development. Key words: tourism activity, conditions, resources, population, employment, sustainable development, prospects.

This article reviews the development and present state of youth tourism in Khmelnytsky Oblast. It is based on analyzed statistics given generalization of this type of tourism in this region, as well as recommendations for further development. There were defined social orders on the development of youth tourism in Khmelnytsky region. Keywords: Youth tourism, school land studies, museology, extracurricular education, children’s excursion and tour station.