The paper deals with the professionalisation of higher pedagogical education as a modern global tendency that places new demands on the quality of education, direction and level of training. It has been noted that the modernization of European education appeared legitimate, since geographical and socio-economic transformations have led to the increase of European citizens' mobility. The need for the European labor market's correspondence with international standards of qualification, recognition of diplomas and standardization of education has been thoroughly justified. It has been stressed that the main purpose of the Bologna reforms is to harmonize European educational architecture through the elaboration of common descriptors and quality standards. It has been noted that the increasing demands of the labor market, rapid technological change, globalization, the rise of academic and labor mobility require the use of the competency approach to the formation of would be teachers to improve their professional level, which is a prerequisite and a priority in modernization of higher pedagogical education in Ukraine. The thesis that defines professionalisation as a modern global tendency in the development of higher education has been confirmed. The role of the Bologna agreement in the development of higher education in the EU and Ukraine in the context of implementing a two-stage education, since it deals with a flexible choice of higher educational qualifications and complete upgrade of training programs, as well as strengthening its professional component, has been stressed. The attention has been drawn to the fact that the predominance of bachelor and specialist levels in Ukrainian higher education prevents the effective operation of the master's degree education.