The National Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine (NMetAU) is one of the oldest institutions of higher education for metallurgical engineering. It was established in October, 1899 as a department of Katerinoslavsky Higher Mining School. In 1912, the department was transformed into a metallurgical faculty of Katerinoslavsky Mining Institute. In 1930, it acquired the status of an independent institution of higher education and obtained the name of Dnipropetrovsk Metallurgical Institute. In 1993, the higher status of State Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine was gained and fixed by the Resolution of Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and, in 1999, the status of the National Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine was adopted by the Ukaz (Decree) of the President of Ukraine.

The establishment and development of NMetAU, with its scientific and teaching schools, is directly connected with the development of industry, science, and education in Ukraine. The world famous Academicians and Corresponding Members of National Academy of Science are associated with NMetAU, they are: L.V. Pisarzhevsky, M.A. Pavlov, A.V. Kirsanov, O.P. Chekmar'ov, U.M. Taran-Zhovnir, M.I. Gasik, K.F. Starodubov, P.T. Yemelyanenko, K.P. Bunin, S.N. Kozhevnikov, V.I. Bol'shakov, V.I. Babtizansky and others. The institution is engaged in the development of the applied sciences of Ukraine, such as: metals and alloys manufacturing, casting practice, metal forming, materials science, heating engineering, mechanics, chemistry, etc.

Presently, the National Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine is a state university of higher education with level IV accreditation and developed infrastructure. NMetAU carries out the teaching activity for all qualification degrees (junior specialist, bachelor and master) in 20 branches and over 35 specialities; instructs university teachers and scientists for higher academic degrees (Ph.D and higher) in 10 specialities; conducts preparatory training and gives a second degree in higher education.

The Academy consists of 7 full-time faculties (Faculty of Metallurgy, Faculty of Electrometallurgy, Faculty of Mechanics and Machine-Building, Faculty of Material Science and Metal Forming, Faculty of Economics and Management, Faculty of Computer Systems, Power Engineering and Automation, Faculty of Humanities), a part-time (evening studies) faculty and extramural (by correspondence and interview) faculty.

Apart from the above mentioned, there is also the Regional Education Center for Disadvantaged Students, a Library, Faculty of Professional Skills Improvement for Teachers and Specialists, Specialist Re-training Faculty, Faculty for Foreign Student Instruction, Pre-university Preliminary Faculty. Preliminary Courses for NMetAU applicants, the ""Druzhba"" Sports Camp are available at the academy. Five comfortable hostels provide accommodation for all students who came to study, both from other Ukrainian cities, and from abroad.

Presently, the National Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine instructs around 11 000 students. Around 600 teachers and scientists work at NMetAU. The majority of whom possess post-graduate academic degrees (Candidate and Doctor Degrees) and 14% of the teaching staff have doctorates. A Member and a Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine carries out lectures in NMetAU. 30 teachers are Members of different regional Academies of Ukraine and work as their Corresponding Members. 12 teachers gained the status of Honoured Science Workers, Honoured Teachers and won the National Awards.

10 scientific schools in various fields are developed within the National Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine. The Dnipropetrovsk School of Theoretical and Applied Materials Science, Ukrainian Fundamental School of Electrometallurgical Engineers and Heat-Treaters are well-known in Ukraine and abroad as well as scientific schools of steel metallurgy and pig iron metallurgy, heat engineering, heat-and-power engineering, metallurgical equipment, metal forming technologies and others.

On the bases of international contracts, programmes, projects and grants, NMetAU collaborates with scientists and firms from the USA, German, Sweden, Finland, Italy, China,  Moldova and other countries. The Academy stipulated the creation of a Consortium of 5 technical universities: German-Sweden-Finland-Poland-Ukraine. The integrated teaching programme for the Metallurgy branch was developed in relation to it. The students and post-graduate students of NMetAU study at the advanced technical universities of Europe, have their probationary period in the institutions of higher education, scientific and research institutes, and firms in the in the EC countries.