Semyon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics is historically connected with special institutions of commercial education, which were founded in Kharkiv during the rapid economic rise of the Kin. XIX – beg. XX century At this time, the city was the center of a huge region, which had the semi-official name of southern Russia. In economic terms, it was a new industrial region, where the mining and heavy industries were developing dynamically. In 1888, on the initiative of the Kharkiv businessman, a merchant-commercial adviser MV Orlov Kharkiv Commercial School was founded, which was opened in 1893, and in 1896 was named after Emperor Alexander III.

Commercial Institute
In 1912 prof. M.V. Palienko initiated a new public initiative – evening Higher Commercial Courses were opened at the school. The founders of the courses, headed by commerce adviser IK Velitchenko, made extraordinary efforts to create a higher economic educational institution. The teaching staff and curriculum of the courses initially met high standards. The courses trained specialists in the fields of commerce, local economy, banking and finance, and – for the first time in Russia – trained commercial specialists for industrial enterprises. Here prof. PI Fomin created in Russia the first specialized research institution – the Cabinet of Economic Studies of. In 1916, the State Duma granted courses the status of a Commercial Institute. In 1918-1920, the future Nobel Laureate in Economics, Simon Kuznets, studied at the KhKI.

In stormy times
In 1920 the era of Soviet reorganizations began: in 1921 the CCI was renamed the Institute of National Economy, and finally, during the higher education reform of 1930, it was divided. On the basis of its faculties branch high schools with departmental subordination were created. On October 30, 1930, the Kharkiv Institute of Engineering and Economics was formed on the basis of the largest industrial faculty at that time. Today, this date is officially considered the date of foundation of KhNEU. HIEI trained engineers-economists for the heavy industry of Soviet Ukraine. The Institute has distinguished itself as one of the leading educational and research centers of Ukraine in the field of industrial economics. Scientists of the institute participated in research programs on the location of production facilities of heavy industry in Ukraine, the introduction of cost-effective technologies, the use of modern mathematical methods of production planning and labor organization, the creation of automated production management systems (ACS).

“Economic Laboratory”
In 1956-1960, the HIEI was headed by Prof. O.G. Lieberman Research Laboratory for Industrial Economics. The proposals of its scientists based on the results of research were the basis of the concept of economic reform in 1965.
Since the late 1980’s, the institute has been expanding the range of student areas of study, moving to the training of specialists in international economics, finance and banking, personnel management, and others. In 1994, the institute received the status of a state economic university.
In the 1990s – at the beginning. In the 2000s, the university distinguished itself as a leader in economic education in Ukraine, which often determines the direction of its development. On August 21, 2004 the university was granted the status of National.
In 2013, KhNEU was named the winner of the 1971 Nobel Prize in Economics, Semyon Kuznets. Order № 1425 was signed on October 14, 2013 by the Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Dmytro Tabachnyk.