Prof. Dr. Haider Ali Al-Dulaimi College of Administrative Sciences Achieving economic sustainability is one of the most prominent challenges facing developing countries, including Iraq, in light of global economic transformations and accumulated internal challenges. In this context, the eighth Sustainable Development Goal, entitled “Decent Work and Economic Growth,” emerges as a strategic framework that seeks to promote inclusive and sustainable growth, provide productive employment opportunities, and improve working conditions in a manner that ensures human dignity. The Iraqi economy suffers from a set of structural imbalances, most notably the excessive dependence on the oil sector and high unemployment rates—especially among youth and graduates—as well as the limited contribution of other productive sectors. Hence, the importance of adopting policies based on the concepts of decent work becomes evident. These include providing safe job opportunities, ensuring labor rights, achieving wage equity, and promoting a healthy work environment. Achieving decent work is not limited to creating job opportunities alone; it also requires improving the quality of these opportunities in a way that contributes to raising productivity levels and enhancing the competitiveness of the national economy. In this regard, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises represents one of the main drivers for generating employment opportunities, diversifying sources of income, and reducing dependence on the public sector. Moreover, investing in human capital through the development of education and vocational and technical training represents a fundamental pillar for achieving this goal. It contributes to aligning educational outcomes with labor market requirements and enhances opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship. The role of digital transformation in creating new job opportunities and opening promising economic horizons cannot be overlooked, especially in the fields of the knowledge economy and technology. On the other hand, achieving sustainable economic growth requires strengthening the business environment by simplifying administrative procedures, combating corruption, and providing an attractive investment climate that guarantees investors’ rights and encourages capital inflows. In addition, the partnership between the public and private sectors represents an effective tool for achieving economic development and creating job opportunities. Accordingly, adopting the eighth Sustainable Development Goal as a guiding framework for economic policies in Iraq significantly contributes to achieving economic sustainability by promoting inclusive growth, providing decent work opportunities, and improving citizens’ living standards. This requires the integration of efforts between government institutions, the private sector, and academic institutions to ensure balanced and sustainable economic development. Al-Mustaqbal University… ranked first among private universities in Iraq.