History of the University

Kharkiv Automobile and Highway Institute (KhAHI) was founded by the Decree of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR dated July 23, 1930 No. 237 “On restructuring the universities, technical schools and workers’ schools”. I. O. Besedovskyi, who was the director of Kharkiv Institute of Railway Engineers (KhIRE), was assigned to form the institution and then became the first director of KhAHI.

The new institute started to give classes on September 30, 1930 at two faculties: Automobile Engineering Faculty and Road-Building Faculty in the main building.

Before the 10th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, the university was awarded the status of a national one.

This is a high assessment of improving the educational, cultural, scientific and technical levels of the Ukrainian people, the contribution of the KhNAHU staff to reforming the higher education system, to forming and developing Ukrainian nationality.

Rectors

  • The founder and the first director of the institute (until 1931) was I. O. Besedovskyi.
  • From 1931 to 1933 P.K. Tysiachnyi was the director of KhAHI.
  • From 1933 to 1937 M.M. Chupis headed the institute.
  • From 1938 to 1941 A.P. Khmelnytskyi
  • From 1945 to 1959 O.K. Birulia was the rector of KhAHI.
  • From 1959 to 1978. Assoc. Prof. B.V. Reshetnikov headed the institute.
  • From 1978 to 1992 I.M. Grushko was the rector of KhAHI.
  • In 1992 Prof. A.M. Turenko was elected as the rector.
  • In 2020, V.O. Bogomolov, Academician of the Transport Academy of Ukraine, laureate of State Prize of Ukraine, was elected as the rector of Kharkiv National Automobile and Highway University (KhNAHU)