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Space Management and Timetabling

SUMS Consulting has been working in the field of teaching and examinations timetabling since 1988. We are experts in this area and have developed practical and cost-effective solutions to improve operational performance that have wide applicability in HE.

SUMS Consulting helps its Members improve their performance by:

• Understanding the University’s context and needs for space planning
• Benchmarking current space utilisation against good practice in the SUMS membership
• Developing an operational framework for the client which applies the principles of good practice timetabling
• Establishing the organisational framework to operate Faculty or centralised timetabling and identifying the changes that will need to be made to achieve satisfactory implementation
• Developing a specification of requirements for a timetabling system and identifying potential suppliers.

Significant outcomes from our work include:

• A comprehensive systems specification based on the cumulative needs of users
• The development of good practice in timetabling
• Benchmark data against which performance can be assessed
• An analysis of space needs based on your teaching requirements
• Seminar material for SUMS' members and for a wider audience.

Recent assignments in this area are:

• A review of academic timetabling for the University of Edinburgh; this identified a potential ten per cent improvement in utilisation. Given the size of their teaching Estate this would equate to an annual saving of £3M p.a. (Assignment number 1125)
• A benchmark of both teaching and exam timetabling for London Metropolitan University with the universities of Hertfordshire, Plymouth, De Montfort and Leeds Metropolitan. This identified scope for a 20% reduction in teaching room stock, if the University adopted a more central timetabling timetabling approach as per Plymouth and De Montfort. It also identified scope for reduction in examination venues. (Assignment number 1126)
• A review of academic timetabling for Loughborough University which examined the case for moving towards central timetabling with a phased implementation. The aim was to improve the student and staff experience by bringing forward timetabling to earlier in the year and make better use of roomstock to avoid the need for capital spend. (Assignment number 1141).