Why did we change our approach to timetabling?

Collaborative timetabling sets out to improve timetables for students and staff and optimise the use of the University Estate. The aims of the project include:

• Ensuring a clash-free timetable for staff and students by increasing the transparency of students' options choices and programme structures and working more closely across each Faculty.
• Delivering a finalised and settled timetable earlier in the year. This saves staff time in not having to re-write a timetable in late summer.
• Reducing the number of unnecessary mid-term changes to timetables, reducing the disruption of planned activities for students.
• Giving all students and staff complete, accurate and up-to-date personal timetables.
• Ensuring fair access to all of our available Estate for all areas.
• Creating a repository of timetable data to be used each year with only specific required changes made to each new submission (for example, changes to a programme structure). This reduces the amount of time required to be spent on data input by Teaching and Learning staff.

The Timetable Problem...

Steve Pettifer, the Academic Lead of the Timetable Project explains why timetabling is so tricky, and how the Project is working to improve our timetables.