The article deals with the issues of the legal regulation of the activities of higher education institutionsin the development, implementation, monitoring, updating and revision of educational programs. The papermentions the features of the implementation of the powers of higher education institutions within the context ofsuch legal constructions as "the limits of legal regulation" and "restriction of rights". The elements of eachdirection of the autonomy of institutions of higher education in the formation of educational programs areanalyzed in detail. The mechanism of implementation of the provisions of general and special laws in the fieldof higher education in the local legal acts is considered, namely the main directions which should form theinternal regulatory framework; the necessity of higher education teachers’ and students’ participation in thegiven process is substantiated. The process of creating specializations, the procedure for their approval by theAcademic Council of higher education institutions, the specifics of the creation of specialization groups, thestructure and distribution of responsibilities in such groups in the creation of specializations, their participationin constructing and implementing educational programs are analyzed. Clear boundaries, forms and directions offormalization of the real legal relations that arise at the present stage of development of higher education in thefield of formation of educational programs through the prism of the implementation of the principle ofautonomy by higher education institutions are established. The provisions of general and special laws in whichthe legal limits of the autonomy of institutions higher education are established while developing (designing)educational programs are systematized, a comparative analysis of the influence of normative legal acts, havinga higher legal force, on the formation of the local legal framework and the role of the legal service insystematization, review and updating of the internal regulations and rules of the higher education institution isconducted. In the context of monitoring, reviewing and updating educational programs, the vectors forimproving the educational process are singled out while interacting with students, employers, teachers andother stakeholders who are interested in creating an effective and science-driven educational program which isas close as possible to the industry requirements.