Developing a Model for the University Course Timetabling Problem: A Case Study

Abstract

Over recent years, timetable programming in academic settings has become particularly challenging due to such factors as the growing number of students, the variety of lectures, the inadequacy of educational facilities in some areas, and the incorporation of teachers and students’ preferences into the schedule. Many researchers, therefore, have been formulating the problem of timetabling lectures using different methods. In this research, a multiobjective mixed-integer programming model was developed to provide a timetable for the postgraduate courses at the Industrial Engineering Department of Islamic Azad University, Najafabad Branch (IAUN). The proposed model minimized the violation of the lecturers and educational priorities, the student travel time between classes, and the classes’ surplus capacity. To convert the multiobjective model into a single one, the ε-constraint method was adopted, and the model’s accuracy and feasibility were examined through a real example solved by the CPLEX solver of GAMS software. The results approved the efficiency of this model in preparing a timetable for university lectures.