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A Hybrid Algorithm for the Examination Timetabling Problem

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Practice and Theory of Automated Timetabling IV (PATAT 2002)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 2740))

Abstract

Examination timetabling is a well-studied combinatorial optimization problem. We present a new hybrid algorithm for examination timetabling, consisting of three phases: a constraint programming phase to develop an initial solution, a simulated annealing phase to improve the quality of solution, and a hill climbing phase for further improvement. The examination timetabling problem at the University of Melbourne is introduced, and the hybrid method is proved to be superior to the current method employed by the University. Finally, the hybrid method is compared to established methods on the publicly available data sets, and found to perform well in comparison.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia

    Liam T. G. Merlot, Natashia Boland & Barry D. Hughes

  2. Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia

    Peter J. Stuckey

Authors
  1. Liam T. G. Merlot
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  2. Natashia Boland
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  3. Barry D. Hughes
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  4. Peter J. Stuckey
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Automated Scheduling, Optimisation and Planning Group, School of Computer Science & IT, University of Nottingham, NG8 1BB, Nottingham, UK

    Edmund Burke

  2. Information Technology, KaHo St-Lieven, Gebr. Desmetstraat 1, 9000, Gent, Belgium

    Patrick De Causmaecker

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© 2003 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Merlot, L.T.G., Boland, N., Hughes, B.D., Stuckey, P.J. (2003). A Hybrid Algorithm for the Examination Timetabling Problem. In: Burke, E., De Causmaecker, P. (eds) Practice and Theory of Automated Timetabling IV. PATAT 2002. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 2740. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-45157-0_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-45157-0_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-40699-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-45157-0

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