A timetabling problem in which clashes are inevitable

This paper is concerned with a university timetabling problem in which some clashes are unavoidable if the weekly lecture requirements are to be scheduled in the available time-slots. The solution needs to satisfy a number of different objectives. Most of these are achieved by imposing a series of constraints, and the problem is reduced to that to minimizing the single objective of student disappointment. Three models-graph colouring, set partitioning and simulated annealing-are suggested, and the advantages and disadvantages of using each of these to find a satisfactory solution are discussed.