Higher Education and Challenges in Human Capital Development in Iraq During the Period of 2004-2021

Abstract

Education is considered one of the most important sources for enhancing international competitiveness, especially in the information society, as it is the key to entering the knowledge era and developing society through real human capital development, which is the focus of the educational process. The research highlights the importance of education and learning outcomes and their alignment with human development standards in Iraq, as they represent activities and achievements related to the quality of life that individuals experience and their ability to acquire knowledge to achieve social and economic goals and confront economic challenges. The characteristics and/or problems of the Iraqi labor market and the challenges it faces, especially the low level of demand for work compared to supply, have contributed to the emergence and exacerbation of unemployment, which continues to persist. This represents a waste of human capital investment, in addition to its negative economic and social effects, which have deepened this problem due to the high population growth and labor force and the decline in economic growth rates. It is difficult to develop an effective strategic plan for human capital development to meet the demands of the labor market unless decision-makers have the will to develop graduates of the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education through the implementation of an economic policy that aims to activate strategic planning to develop human capital and meet the requirements of the labor market. It is also necessary to align economic policies and achieve the required coherence between them, in addition to the need to effectively utilize public spending under the government's control. The importance of planning to support innovation is highlighted in the presence of an effective system of trade links with academic institutions and other organizations that can keep pace with the growing knowledge revolution and adapt it to local needs.