A New Optimization on Harmony Search Algorithm for Exam Timetabling System

Abstract

Preparing an optimal exam timetable in universities is challenging for head of departments, especially for colleges with multiple number of departments, courses, and students. Harmony search algorithm is used by many researchers to solve this problem but none of them could get an optimal solution. In this paper, a new algorithm which is called optimised harmony search algorithm with distributed selections is proposed by optimising the harmony search algorithm and the genetic algorithm. The new algorithm could satisfy hard, soft, and general constraints and generate an optimal exam timetable for a huge number of courses and students. The proposed algorithm is implemented and applied on Jadara University, the algorithm uses an upper triangular matrix to reduce relationships and memory usage, a three-dimensional matrix to ease the exams timetable management a deterministic number generators to eliminate timeslots conflicts, and backtracking algorithm to enhance the population selections. Lecturers and students’ feedback showed a good satisfaction as well the system results.

The Automation of the Process of Auditorium Booking

“…Используется подход дифференциации ограничений на жесткие, мягкие и общие. Такой же подход мы видим в более распространенных генетических алгоритмах [3,4].…”

Enhancing three variants of harmony search algorithm for continuous optimization problems

“…Optimization algorithms were invented to find the fittest element from groups of choices subjected to specific constraints. The use of the optimization algorithm to solve real-world problems started in the early of this century [1,2]. A well-known sector of optimization algorithms called metaheuristic algorithms, which were able to solve different types of problems in different domains [3][4][5][6].…”

Üniversite Ders Çizelgeleme Probleminin Genetik Algoritma ile Optimizasyonu

“…Çizelgeleme problemlerinin türevlerinden olan Üniversite ders çizelgeleme de derslik, ders saati ve öğretim elemanı kısıtlılığından dolayı çözümü zor bir optimizasyon problemidir [2]. Birçok araştırmacı farklı yöntemlerle problemi çözmeye çalışmışlardır [3]- [8]. Ders çizelgeleme problemini basitçe ders, öğretim elemanı ve derslik kaynaklarının istenen koşullar altında ve çakışmayacak şekilde aynı zaman periyoduna atanması olarak tanımlanabilir.…”