Combined Interactive and Automatic Course Timetabling

*Duong Tuan Anh
Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, HoChiMinh City

Vo Hoang Tam
Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, HoChiMinh City University of Technology

NGuyen Quoc Viet Hung
Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, HoChiMinh City University of Technology

Abstract
In this paper, we present a solution method for this timetabling problem using local search methods. The solution method consists of two phases: the first phase to provide an initial solution that satisfies all hard constraints and the second phase using a local repair method with tabu mechanism to produce high quality solution, taking the soft constraints into account. Besides, the timetabling system is equipped with an interactive user-intervention facility. The user will be able to alter a timetable such that no hard constraints are violated. The combination of interactive tools and algorithmic techniques helps to make the timetabling system flexible enough to take into account special user requirements.