A decision support approach to automatic timetabling in higher education institutions

At a time when the need to reduce costs has become part of the day-to-day reality of all educational institutions, it is unthinkable to continue to manually perform those tasks (i.e., the creation of timetables) that can be automated and optimized. The automatic creation of timetables for educationa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of scheduling 2016-06, Vol.19 (3), p.335-348
Main Authors: Fernandes, Pedro, Pereira, Carla Sofia, Barbosa, Armando
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algorithms
Analysis
Artificial Intelligence
Automation
Bullets
Business and Management
Calculus of Variations and Optimal Control
Optimization
Combinatorics
Computer programs
Decision support systems
Education
Heuristic
Higher education
Mathematical models
Operations Research/Decision Theory
Optimization
Projectiles
Scheduling
Studies
Supply Chain Management
Timetables
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Summary:At a time when the need to reduce costs has become part of the day-to-day reality of all educational institutions, it is unthinkable to continue to manually perform those tasks (i.e., the creation of timetables) that can be automated and optimized. The automatic creation of timetables for educational institutions is one of the most studied problems by the scientific community. However, almost all studies have been based on very simplified models of reality that have no practical application. A realistic model of the problem, robust algorithms that are able to find valid solutions in highly restricted environments, and optimization methods that are able to quickly provide quality results are key factors to consider when attempting to solve this (real) problem faced by educational institutions. This paper presents a summary of the work performed by Bullet Solutions over the last few years, from the first stage of understanding and modelling the problem to the final analysis of the results obtained using the developed software under real conditions.
ISSN:1094-6136
1099-1425
DOI:10.1007/s10951-015-0435-z