The paper focused on the strategic success of the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences in the University of Baghdad within the context of the faculty members by identifying three concepts: ad-amputation, survival as well as growth. As institutions of higher education, particularly in the case of sports sciences, face increased challenges, the study will establish how strategic management practices can influence sustainability and development of the institution. A descriptive-analytical approach was adopted, and the data was collected by using a standardized questionnaire to be filled in by the faculty members. Overall, the survey findings indicate that the institution is fairly resilient; it has a chance to survive on a strategic level but needs to strive to preserve a stronger institutional growth and adaptation model to remain successful in the first half of the 21st century. Statistical tests also indicated a significant relationship between faculty engagement and company faculty members in terms of strategic descriptions of the institution, which has emphasized the importance of participatory decision-making as one of the strategies to gain institutional resilience. The results feed into the body of knowledge on strategic planning for HEI and give practical recommendations to improve adaptation mechanisms and thus improve long-term development. Future research could involve extending the analysis to other schools, exploring the scope of digital transformation, and investigating AI-oriented strategies for strategic choices.