FriarTuck successfully deploys FTTimeTabler at the English Language Teaching Centre, University of St. Andrews, UK

FriarTuck the pioneer in developing customized timetabling solutions for educational institutions has added another feather to its cap. The English Language Teaching Centre (ELT) at the University of St. Andrews, the oldest university in Scotland, provides high quality English language training for overseas students. Previously, the faculty at the centre had to spend a large amount of time, trying to come up with semester timetables. The task was very challenging because of the variety of courses at the centre having specific requirements and idiosyncrasies in terms of teachers, rooms and time-slots which had to be allocated for them. Even after the grueling man-hours invested for timetabling, the resulting schedule was liable to violation of one or more requirements.

FriarTuck’s group of optimization experts delved into the problem that ELT was facing and came up with a timetabling software solution, called the FTTimeTabler. The underlying solver of FTTimeTabler developed in-house uses a blend of advanced AI and combinatorial optimization techniques. The software is essentially customized to the unique needs of the Centre and allows the user to enter a myriad of scheduling requirements, like room allocations, pre-designated time slots and an individual staff’s work hours.

FTTimeTabler, speeds up the whole timetabling process so much so that timetabling can now be done at the click of a button! All that needs to be done is entering the necessary staff, room and course data. As a result, it brings an immense amount of saving in terms of man-hours. From a few days needed to create the timetable manually, it can now be done in a matter of minutes.