Parameters for optimisation

There are a number of parameters that need to be observed in course scheduling that quite naturally have to be taken into consideration by course optimisation. The following section explains the requirements in more detail.

Minimum and maximum number of students

For each course you can specify the minimum and maximum number of students who should take the course.

The data can be entered either in the course-student-overview or directly in the lessons window and is described in more detail in chapter Courses window in this manual.

Student optimisation code

The student optimisation code allows you to specify which students should be scheduled in the same parallel course and who should if possible be scheduled in different parallel courses. The optimisation code is entered in the student master data window and is explained more in greater in the ' Student master data ' section of this manual.

Cluster conditions

Go to the ‘Course scheduling tab’, click on ‘Integral optimisation’ button and select ‘Cluster conditions’. A window will pop up where you can set restrictions on the creation of clusters during courses optimisation.

Enter conditions in the left part of the cluster conditions window. The right section of the window displays the list of possible courses that can be included in the conditions.

The details window at the bottom shows additional data on the selected course when the focus is on the course list.

Conditions that are violated by existing clusters are highlighted red. The detail window will show you the reason(s) for the clash when you click on the condition in question.

In order to create a new condition you first have to select an empty cell in the left part of the window. Now add one or more courses to the condition (in a similar way to the ' student-course-choice ' window) either by double-clicking on the desired course(s) or by clicking on the blue-framed arrow.

You can use the other blue-framed arrow (pointing to the right) to remove courses from a rule.

The following two cluster condition options are available:

Maximum courses from one cluster

Only a certain number of courses from a group of specified courses may be scheduled in one cluster.

Cluster condition 1 in the above example: A maximum of two courses from BIO1, CH1 and PH1 may be in one cluster.

Not in cluster with specific course

No courses from a certain group may be scheduled with courses from another group.

Cluster conditions 2 and 3 in the above example: The three German courses d1, d2 and d3 may not be in the same cluster, i.e. scheduled simultaneously, as English courses e1 and e2.