A MIXED-INTEGER LINEAR PROGRAMMING MODEL FOR THE FACULTY-ROOM ASSIGNMENT PROBLEM WITH DISCRETE PREFERENCE CONSTRAINTS

Rissaphop Treesuwan; Anan Butrat

ผู้แต่ง

Rissaphop Treesuwan -
Anan Butrat

คำสำคัญ:

University Course Timetabling Problem, Utility Maximization, Mixed-Integer Linear Programming, Faculty Preferences, Resource-Constrained Scheduling, Engineering Education

บทคัดย่อ

This study addresses the University Course Timetabling Problem (UCTP) in resource-constrained environments using a Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model based on Utility Maximization. Distinct from penalty-based cost-minimization frameworks, this model employs a weighted-sum objective function to reward satisfied binary faculty preferences while enforcing capacity constraints. Testing across three behavioral datasets—Baseline, Compressed Week, and Polarized Preferences—reveals that in over-constrained environments (32 subjects vs. 27 slots), physical limitations dictate schedule volume, forcing convergence to maximum utilization regardless of weighting strategies. However, in balanced scenarios, the weighting mechanism proved critical for fine-tuning assignments and strategically resolving high-demand conflicts. This research provides a transparent tool to quantify the trade-off between institutional efficiency and faculty well-being to manage scarce academic resources.

เอกสารอ้างอิง

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