Title: Multi-objective faculty course timeslot assignment problem for tutorial and laboratory courses

Authors: Sunil B. Bhoi; Jayesh M. Dhodiya

Addresses: Department of Applied Mathematics and Humanities, Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat, Gujrat, India ' Department of Applied Mathematics and Humanities, Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat, Gujrat, India

Abstract: This study applied a multi-objective zero-one integer programming model to resolve the university timetabling problem of assigning timeslots to faculty member for tutorial and laboratory courses. The model helps prepare an efficient and effective timetable by optimising the satisfaction levels of faculty members, administrators, and students. It ensures that no conflict occurs between tutorial and laboratory courses and their proper distribution across days and sessions. Furthermore, the model assigns all batches of the same course to one faculty member to save preparation/laboratory setup time. Appropriate scheduling allows each batch to utilise their time for self-study courses, library, and extracurricular activities. The model systematically incorporates two-hour laboratory courses in two consecutive break-free timeslots and the proper utilisation of the library and preparation for self-study courses by students. The model was applied to a technical institute using hypothetical data, and effectual and feasible schedules were generated using fuzzy programming. The solutions were obtained using LINGO 18.0 software.

Keywords: timetabling; university course scheduling; multi-objective programming; zero-one linear programming; fuzzy programming technique.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOR.2024.138921

International Journal of Operational Research, 2024 Vol.50 No.2, pp.127 - 147

Received: 14 Feb 2021
Accepted: 23 Aug 2021
Published online: 04 Jun 2024 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article