One of the first institutions of higher education in Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District, Nizhnevartovsk State University of Humanities was established in 1988. It was founded as a branch of Tobolsk State Pedagogical Institute named after Dmitriy I. Mendeleyev. Nizhnevartovsk Branch comprised three faculties: Physics and Mathematics, Philology and Pedagogy and Methods of Primary Education. At that time there were only 25 teachers and 150 students.   This is the starting point of the Ugra Higher Education.

Nizhnevartovsk Branch of Tobolsk State Pedagogical Institute named after Dmitriy I. Mendeleyev was reorganized as Nizhnevartovsk State Pedagogical Institute on October 23, 1992. It was renamed the Nizhnevartovsk State Pedagogical Institute due to the state registration on December, 1997. On the 24^th of May 2005, Nizhnevartovsk State Pedagogical Institute was awarded university status at the order of the Federal Education Agency of Ministry of Education   and Science of the Russian Federation.

Today Nizhnevartovsk State University of Humanities is a dynamic Institution of Higher Vocational Education. It’s a leading Institution of Higher Education for the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District. Its departments cover a number of educational trends including high quality staff training in the sphere of science, education, economics and culture. It offers training in many branches of modern science and humanities.

Its undergraduates may choose one of 35 qualifications, while post-graduate students may specialize in 21 different areas. The total number of NSUH students exceeds 5,000; besides, about 200 high school students attend various clubs and courses at NSUH.

 The teaching staff takes care of the study and research process. It is represented by 300 specialists: 47 doctors and professors, 160 candidates of sciences and associate professors.

Nizhnevartovsk State University of Humanities comprises 9 faculties and 23 departments and two dissertation councils for defense of candidate’s and doctoral dissertations. Furthermore, the university also contains 6 research laboratories, the Open-Air Museum “Sibirskie Uvali”, comprehensive library facilities, the University Publishing House and printing shop plus a Sports and Recreation Centre.

At present, about 30 scientific research and programs are carried out in different fields of science. There have been major changes in the curricula, with new academic programs added.  

 As a centre of learning, NSUH publishes a wide range of scientific literature, reference books, and popular science editions on various aspects of pedagogy, psychology, history, mathematics, chemistry and geography.

NSUH library is one of the largest in Ugra, with its 250, 000 books, and the average number of readers 10,000, using about 500,000 books a year. The library’s fund includes study materials, teaching, methodical and scientific literature, and periodicals on field-specific realization programs.

Today the university has 5 educational buildings with a total area 27 608, 9 sq.km. The university owns 74 specialized cabinets and auditoriums equipped with the modern technique. The university has provided 6 canteens for all students and the teaching staff. The canteens correspond with the needs of the university. Besides, the university has a student dormitory with a total area of 7 492, 3 sq.km. Accommodation in NSUH dormitories is provided for those students who are not residents of Nizhnevartovsk.