Formed on the basis evacuated to Penza Odessa Industrial Institute by Order of the All-Union Committee for Higher Education of the Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR “On the resumption of the activities of the Odessa Industrial Institute in the city of Penza” signed on July 3, 1943. The Penza Industrial Institute, as it was initially called, opened on November 1, 1943, comprising 11 departments. In 1959, by order of the Minister of Higher Education, Penza Industrial Institute was renamed the Penza Polytechnic Institute, and on the basis of the construction department was formed as Penza Civil Engineering Institute. On July 5, 1993, by order of the Chairman of the State Committee for Higher Education Penza Polytechnic Institute was renamed Penza State Technical University. On January 22, 1998, by order of the Minister of Education of the Russian Federation, Penza State Technical University was renamed Penza State University.
