Algorithm selection for solving educational timetabling problems

In this paper, we present the construction process of a per-instance algorithm selection model to improve the initial solutions of Curriculum-Based Course Timetabling (CB-CTT) instances. Following the meta-learning framework, we apply a hybrid approach that integrates the predictions of a classifier and linear regression models to estimate and compare the performance of four meta-heuristics across different problem sub-spaces described by seven types of features. Rather than reporting the average accuracy, we evaluate the model using the closed SBS-VBS gap, a performance measure used at international algorithm selection competitions. The experimental results show that our model obtains a performance of 0.386, within the range obtained by per-instance algorithm selection models in other combinatorial problems. As a result of the process, we conclude that the performance variation between the meta-heuristics has a significant role in the effectiveness of the model. Therefore, we introduce statistical analyses to evaluate this factor within per-instance algorithm portfolios.