Hybrid genetic algorithm for university examination timetabling problem

This paper considers a Hybrid Genetic Algorithm (HGA) for University Examination Timetabling Problem (UETP). UETP is defined as the assignment of a given number of exams and their candidates to a number of available timeslots while satisfying a given set of constraints. Solutions for uncapacitated U...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ishak, Suhada, Lee, Lai Soon, Ibragimov, Gafurjan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institute for Mathematical Research, Universiti Putra Malaysia 2016
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/52339/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/52339/1/3.%20lee%20lai%20soon.pdf
_version_ 1848852078266417152
author Ishak, Suhada
Lee, Lai Soon
Ibragimov, Gafurjan
author_facet Ishak, Suhada
Lee, Lai Soon
Ibragimov, Gafurjan
author_sort Ishak, Suhada
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This paper considers a Hybrid Genetic Algorithm (HGA) for University Examination Timetabling Problem (UETP). UETP is defined as the assignment of a given number of exams and their candidates to a number of available timeslots while satisfying a given set of constraints. Solutions for uncapacitated UETP are presented where five domain-specific knowledge in the form of low-level heuristics are used to guide the construction of the timetable in the initial population. The main components of the genetic operators in a GA will be tested and the best combination of the genetic operators will be adopted to construct a Pure Genetic Algorithm (PGA). The PGA will then hybridised with three new local optimisation techniques, which will make up the HGA; to improve the solutions found. These new local optimisation techniques will arrange the timeslots and exams using new explicit equations, if and only if, the modification will reduce the penalty cost function. The performance of the proposed HGA is compared with other metaheuristics from literature using the Carter’s benchmark dataset which comprises of real-world timetabling problem from various universities. The computational results show that the proposed HGA outperformed some of the metaheuristic approaches and is comparable to most of the well-known metaheuristic approaches.
first_indexed 2025-11-15T10:32:21Z
format Article
id upm-52339
institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
institution_category Local University
language English
last_indexed 2025-11-15T10:32:21Z
publishDate 2016
publisher Institute for Mathematical Research, Universiti Putra Malaysia
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling upm-523392017-06-05T09:15:28Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/52339/ Hybrid genetic algorithm for university examination timetabling problem Ishak, Suhada Lee, Lai Soon Ibragimov, Gafurjan This paper considers a Hybrid Genetic Algorithm (HGA) for University Examination Timetabling Problem (UETP). UETP is defined as the assignment of a given number of exams and their candidates to a number of available timeslots while satisfying a given set of constraints. Solutions for uncapacitated UETP are presented where five domain-specific knowledge in the form of low-level heuristics are used to guide the construction of the timetable in the initial population. The main components of the genetic operators in a GA will be tested and the best combination of the genetic operators will be adopted to construct a Pure Genetic Algorithm (PGA). The PGA will then hybridised with three new local optimisation techniques, which will make up the HGA; to improve the solutions found. These new local optimisation techniques will arrange the timeslots and exams using new explicit equations, if and only if, the modification will reduce the penalty cost function. The performance of the proposed HGA is compared with other metaheuristics from literature using the Carter’s benchmark dataset which comprises of real-world timetabling problem from various universities. The computational results show that the proposed HGA outperformed some of the metaheuristic approaches and is comparable to most of the well-known metaheuristic approaches. Institute for Mathematical Research, Universiti Putra Malaysia 2016 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/52339/1/3.%20lee%20lai%20soon.pdf Ishak, Suhada and Lee, Lai Soon and Ibragimov, Gafurjan (2016) Hybrid genetic algorithm for university examination timetabling problem. Malaysian Journal of Mathematical Sciences, 10 (2). pp. 145-178. ISSN 1823-8343; ESSN: 2289-750X http://einspem.upm.edu.my/journal/fullpaper/vol10no2may/3.%20lee%20lai%20soon.pdf
spellingShingle Ishak, Suhada
Lee, Lai Soon
Ibragimov, Gafurjan
Hybrid genetic algorithm for university examination timetabling problem
title Hybrid genetic algorithm for university examination timetabling problem
title_full Hybrid genetic algorithm for university examination timetabling problem
title_fullStr Hybrid genetic algorithm for university examination timetabling problem
title_full_unstemmed Hybrid genetic algorithm for university examination timetabling problem
title_short Hybrid genetic algorithm for university examination timetabling problem
title_sort hybrid genetic algorithm for university examination timetabling problem
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/52339/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/52339/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/52339/1/3.%20lee%20lai%20soon.pdf