The purpose of this paper is to examine the architectural and planning strategies used by universities to expand their campuses to accommodate growing student numbers. It provides a comprehensive analysis of four case studies that highlight successful methods used by universities to expand their campuses. The article focuses on analyzing the practical experience of three types of expansion strategies for existing campuses: vertical campus expansion, underground campus expansion, and horizontal campus expansion. Campus expansion strategies were discussed in terms of advantages and disadvantages and a comparative analysis was carried out. Lessons learned from each strategy have been drawn to benefit and offer solutions to other regions whose universities are suffering from the challenge of increasing university enrollment.

Keywords: urban planning, higher education facilities, vertical development, underground development, horizontal development, university enrollment

The ability of Baghdad's higher education facilities to accept new students is examined by conducting a predictive demographic study of the population of Baghdad. The number of first-year undergraduate students who will enter Baghdad's higher education institutions has been determined each year from the base year (2020) to the target year (2040). Official government statistics on university education and population were inventoried and analyzed, and it was found that the gap between existing and required higher education facilities in the target year is widening. This study is the basis for the development of methodologies and plans for the development of higher education facilities in Baghdad. Having carried out a demographic analysis of the population of Baghdad using the program (Spectrum) and according to indicators obtained from official population statistics. Students for each year to the target year was predicted by deriving a simple mathematical formula. Using official education statistics, the number of students who should be provided with additional higher education facilities was also calculated. Thus, by the target year, the need for additional higher education institutions in Baghdad was demonstrated. Since the number of students is rapidly increasing towards the target year, it is therefore necessary to develop a time-based methodology to solve the problem of providing higher education in Baghdad in accordance with the findings of this study.

Keywords: Facilities of higher education, demographic indicators, population forecasts, urban development, Baghdad, program (spectrum)