Kharkiv Aviation Institute

What Kharkiv Aviation Institute does

National Aerospace University "Kharkiv Aviation Institute" (KhAI) is a state-owned public university founded in 1930 in Kharkiv, Ukraine, operating under the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The institution delivers higher-education programs from bachelor's through doctoral levels across eight specialized faculties covering aerospace engineering, aviation engines, control systems, rocket and space technology, radio electronics, software engineering, humanities and law, and — most recently — international integration and academic mobility.

KhAI's educational model is anchored by the Student Design Bureau, in continuous operation since 1959, which has produced more than 60 aircraft and serves as the institution's signature applied-research and hands-on training platform. Supporting infrastructure includes the Interbranch Research Institute of Problems of Physical Modeling of Aircraft Flight Modes and digital learning platforms branded Mentor, Pilot, and Epos. The university maintains an international partner network of 19+ institutions across Europe, Turkey, and China, including strategic engagement with Chinese aviation engine manufacturers.

The business model combines three revenue streams typical of public technical universities: (1) state budget allocations from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, (2) tuition from domestic and international students at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels, and (3) ancillary research grants and contract research revenue. Adjacent revenue lines include the IT College KhAI subsidiary (vocational-track intake) and the Regional Training Center for IT, Cybersecurity and Information Protection. The institution's defensibility rests on its nearly century-long brand, its applied-research track record, and its National Technical University regulatory designation. Operating conditions are materially affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine, with Kharkiv situated in a region exposed to active conflict.

Name

Kharkiv Aviation Institute

Legal name

Національний аерокосмічний університет «Харківський авіаційний інститут»

Website

https://khai.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Kharkiv Aviation Institute (KhAI) is a state-owned Ukrainian national aerospace university founded in 1930, delivering bachelor's through doctoral programs across 8 faculties, anchored by a Student Design Bureau that has produced 60+ aircraft, serving domestic and international engineering students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kharkiv

HQ country

Ukraine

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

National Aerospace University "Kharkiv Aviation Institute" is a Ukrainian state higher-education institution providing undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate and doctoral degree programs across eight aerospace- and engineering-focused faculties, together with an IT College for vocational IT training and a Regional Training Center for professional development in IT, cybersecurity and information protection. The university delivers applied research and hands-on practical training through its long-running Student Design Bureau, an in-house digital learning ecosystem (Mentor, Pilot, Epos) and an Interbranch Research Institute for physical modeling of aircraft flight modes.

Product overview

National Aerospace University "Kharkiv Aviation Institute" (ХАІ) is a higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs across eight faculties: Aircraft Construction, Aircraft Engines, Intelligent Control Systems of Aircraft, Rocket and Space Technology, Radio Electronics and Computer Systems, Software Engineering and Business, Humanities and Law, and International Integration and Academic Mobility. The university provides practical training through its Student Design Bureau (active since 1959, responsible for building over 60 aircraft), an IT College, and a Regional Training Center for IT and cybersecurity. A digital learning ecosystem (Mentor, Pilot, Epos) supports distance and blended education. Academic mobility programs connect students with partner universities across Europe, Turkey, and China.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Застосунок "ОбираХАІ": Mobile application for prospective students to choose KhAI
• СКБ ХАІ (Student Design Bureau)
• KhaiStore

Products and services

• Aircraft Construction Faculty (Факультет літакобудування) Faculty offering specialized education in aircraft design and construction for bachelor's, master's and doctoral students pursuing aerospace engineering careers.
• Aircraft Engines Faculty (Факультет авіаційних двигунів) Faculty specializing in aircraft propulsion systems and engine technology education across degree levels.
• Faculty of Intelligent Control Systems of Aircraft (Факультет систем управління літальних апаратів) Faculty focused on intelligent systems and control technologies for aircraft.
• Rocket and Space Technology Faculty (Факультет ракетно-космічної техніки) Faculty dedicated to rocket and space engineering disciplines and degree programs.
• Faculty of Radio Electronics, Computer Systems and Infocommunications Faculty covering electronics, computer systems, telecommunications and infocommunication technologies education.
• Faculty of Software Engineering and Business (Факультет програмної інженерії та бізнесу) Faculty focused on software engineering and business aspects of technology education.
• Humanities and Law Faculty (Гуманітарно-правовий факультет) Faculty providing humanities and legal education integrated with technical degree programs.
• Faculty of International Integration and Academic Mobility (Факультет міжнародної інтеграції та академічної мобільності) Faculty facilitating international partnerships and student exchange programs for KhAI students.
• IT College KhAI (ІТ-коледж ХАІ) IT college offering specialized technical education in information technology at the collegiate level for vocational and applied degree programs.
• Student Design Bureau (СКБ ХАІ) Student Design Bureau providing hands-on practical experience in aircraft construction, UAV development, and aviation technology, with aeromodeling laboratory, delta club, paragliding club, and UAV operator training courses.
• Regional Training Center for Information Technology, Cybersecurity and Information Protection Center providing advanced professional training and continuing education in information technology, cybersecurity and information protection for industry professionals.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Sakarya University (Turkey)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic mobility partner for student exchange and semester studies. KhAI students can study one semester at Sakarya University while maintaining their status at KhAI.
• Necmettin Erbakan University (Turkey)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic mobility partner for student exchange and international educational experience.
• Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University (Turkey)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic mobility partner for student exchange and semester studies.
• Istanbul Technical University (Turkey)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious technical university partnership for academic mobility - one of KhAI's flagship international partners for aviation engineering exchange.
• Adana Science and Technology University (Turkey)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic mobility partner for student exchange programs.
• Turku University of Applied Sciences (Finland)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic mobility partner offering European study experience for KhAI students.
• St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences (Austria)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic mobility partner listed for autumn semester 2026 student exchange.
• West Pomeranian University of Technology (Poland)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic mobility partner for student exchange and semester studies.
• University of Trento (Italy)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic mobility partner listed for autumn semester 2026 exchange programs.
• Harbin Institute of Technology (China)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship Asian partnership for academic mobility and aviation engineering exchange with one of China's top aerospace universities.
• Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (Germany)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic mobility partner in Germany for aviation and aerospace engineering student exchange.
• Czech Technical University in Prague (Czech Republic)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious technical university partnership for aerospace student mobility and research collaboration.
• Ecole Centrale de Nantes (France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious French engineering school partnership for aviation and aerospace student exchange.
• University of the Basque Country (Spain)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic mobility partner in Spain for student exchange programs.
• Beihang University / Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (China)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship Chinese partnership for aviation and aerospace engineering academic mobility - a leading global aerospace university.
• Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA, China)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in China for aerospace engineering student and faculty mobility.
• Riga Technical University (Latvia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic mobility partner listed for autumn semester 2026 exchange programs.
• Mercatorum University (Italy)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic mobility partner listed for autumn semester 2026 exchange programs.
• Wroclaw University of Economics and Business (Poland)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic mobility partner in economics and business for autumn semester 2026 exchange programs. Part of the broader European academic mobility network.
• Engineering Academy of UkrainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognition of scientific achievements of KhAI representatives by the Engineering Academy of Ukraine, indicating strong industry-academia collaboration in aerospace engineering.
• Chinese aviation engine manufacturing companiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKhAI sends lecturers to Chinese universities for conducting lectures in aviation engine manufacturing with translator support. Fully funded by receiving party. Duration 1-2 weeks, 25-50 academic hours.
• Sociological Association of Ukraine (Соціологічна Асоціація України)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for sociological research on youth behavior including the 'Youth and Drugs' survey conducted since 1995 among Kharkiv student youth.
• Kharkiv National University of Internal AffairsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in conducting the 'Youth and Drugs' sociological survey as part of the regional public safety program for Kharkiv Oblast.
• Kharkiv Oblast State Administration (ХОДА)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports the 'Youth and Drugs' sociological research within the framework of the Regional Public Safety and Crime Prevention Program for Kharkiv Oblast 2020-2022.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Beihang University (Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics): China's premier aerospace university, covering aircraft, propulsion, avionics, and space systems. A flagship KhAI academic mobility partner and the most directly comparable aerospace-focused national university, with far greater scale and global brand.
• Harbin Institute of Technology: Leading Chinese technical university historically strong in aerospace, mechanical, and materials engineering. A 'core-tier' KhAI partner, comparable in its Soviet-era founding pedigree and broad technical scope.
• Istanbul Technical University: Turkey's premier technical university with strong aerospace engineering programs. A 'core-tier' KhAI academic mobility partner, serving as the most natural comparable peer in the transregional space.
• Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI): Russia's flagship aerospace university with a similar post-Soviet institutional heritage and faculty structure (aircraft, engines, control systems, space). Historically the closest peer institution, though now geopolitically severed from KhAI.
• Czech Technical University in Prague (ČVUT): Czech Republic's flagship technical university with active aerospace engineering programs. A 'core-tier' KhAI academic mobility partner, representing the EU-side comparable peer.
• Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg: German technical university with established aerospace and engineering programs. A 'core-tier' KhAI academic mobility partner in Germany for aviation and aerospace student exchange.
• Samara National Research University (named after S.P. Korolev): Russian university named after the legendary rocket designer, strong in rocket and space technology — directly comparable to KhAI's Rocket and Space Technology Faculty in scope and tradition.
• Kazan National Research Technical University (KNRTU-KAI, named after A.N. Tupolev): Russian aerospace-focused technical university with deep heritage in aircraft design. Shares the post-Soviet aerospace-university institutional model and curriculum structure with KhAI.
• Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA): Top-tier Chinese aerospace university specializing in aircraft design, propulsion, and aerospace manufacturing. A 'core-tier' KhAI partner offering near-identical aerospace engineering program portfolios.
• Ecole Centrale de Nantes: Prestigious French engineering school with strong aerospace and mechanical engineering programs. A 'core-tier' KhAI academic mobility partner and representative Western European comparable.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/aerospaceuniversity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-aerospace-university

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kharkiv Aviation Institute