Two algorithms for the student-project allocation problem

We study the Student-Project Allocation problem (SPA), a generalisation of the classical Hospitals / Residents problem (HR). An instance of SPA involves a set of students, projects and lecturers. Each project is offered by a unique lecturer, and both projects and lecturers have capacity constraints. Students have preferences over projects, whilst lecturers have preferences over students. We present two optimal linear-time algorithms for allocating students to projects, subject to the preference and capacity constraints. In particular, each algorithm finds a stable matching of students to projects. Here, the concept of stability generalises the stability definition in the HR context. The stable matching produced by the first algorithm is simultaneously best-possible for all students, whilst the one produced by the second algorithm is simultaneously best-possible for all lecturers. We also prove some structural results concerning the set of stable matchings in a given instance of SPA. The SPA problem model that we consider is very general and has applications to a range of different contexts besides student-project allocation

Student-Project Allocation with Preferences over Projects

We study the problem of allocating students to projects, where both students and lecturers have preferences over projects, and both projects and lecturers have capacities. In this context we seek a stable matching of students to projects, which respects these preference and capacity constraints. Here, the stability definition generalises the corresponding notion in the context of the classical Hospitals / Residents problem. We show that stable matchings can have different sizes, and the problem of finding a maximum cardinality stable matching is NP-hard, though approximable within a factor of 2

Allocation in Practice

How do we allocate scarcere sources? How do we fairly allocate costs? These are two pressing challenges facing society today. I discuss two recent projects at NICTA concerning resource and cost allocation. In the first, we have been working with FoodBank Local, a social startup working in collaboration with food bank charities around the world to optimise the logistics of collecting and distributing donated food. Before we can distribute this food, we must decide how to allocate it to different charities and food kitchens. This gives rise to a fair division problem with several new dimensions, rarely considered in the literature. In the second, we have been looking at cost allocation within the distribution network of a large multinational company. This also has several new dimensions rarely considered in the literature.Comment: To appear in Proc. of 37th edition of the German Conference on Artificial Intelligence (KI 2014), Springer LNC

An Integer Programming Approach to the Student-Project Allocation Problem with Preferences over Projects

The Student-Project Allocation problem with preferences over Projects (SPA-P) involves sets of students, projects and lecturers, where the students and lecturers each have preferences over the projects. In this context, we typically seek a stable matching of students to projects (and lecturers). However, these stable matchings can have different sizes, and the problem of finding a maximum stable matching (MAX-SPA-P) is NP-hard. There are two known approximation algorithms for MAX-SPA-P, with performance guarantees of 2 and 32 . In this paper, we describe an Integer Programming (IP) model to enable MAX-SPA-P to be solved optimally. Following this, we present results arising from an empirical analysis that investigates how the solution produced by the approximation algorithms compares to the optimal solution obtained from the IP model, with respect to the size of the stable matchings constructed, on instances that are both randomly-generated and derived from real datasets. Our main finding is that the 32 -approximation algorithm finds stable matchings that are very close to having maximum cardinality

Profile-Based Optimal Matchings in the Student-Project Allocation Problem

In the Student/Project Allocation problem (spa) we seek to assign students to individual or group projects offered by lecturers. Students provide a list of projects they find acceptable in order of preference. Each student can be assigned to at most one project and there are constraints on the maximum number of students that can be assigned to each project and lecturer. We seek matchings of students to projects that are optimal with respect to profile, which is a vector whose rth component indicates how many students have their rth-choice project. We present an efficient algorithm for finding agreedy maximum matching in the spa context – this is a maximum matching whose profile is lexicographically maximum. We then show how to adapt this algorithm to find a generous maximum matching – this is a matching whose reverse profile is lexicographically minimum. Our algorithms involve finding optimal flows in networks. We demonstrate how this approach can allow for additional constraints, such as lecturer lower quotas, to be handled flexibly

Student-project allocation with preferences over projects

We study the problem of allocating students to projects, where both students and lecturers have preferences over projects, and both projects and lecturers have capacities. In this context we seek a stable matching of students to projects, which respects these preference and capacity constraints. Here, the stability definition generalises the corresponding notion in the context of the classical Hospitals/Residents problem. We show that stable matchings can have different sizes, which motivates max-spa-p, the problem of finding maximum cardinality stable matching. We prove that max-spa-p is NP-hard and not approximable within δ, for some δ>1, unless P=NP. On the other hand, we give an approximation algorithm with a performance guarantee of 2 for max-spa-p

Artificial intelligence tools for academic management: assigning students to academic supervisors

[EN] In the last few years, there has been a broad range of research focusing on how learning should take place both in the classroom and outside the classroom. Even though academic dissertations are a vital step in the academic life of both students, as they get to employ all their knowledge and skills in an original project, there has been limited research on this topic. In this paper we explore the topic of allocating students to supervisors, a time-consuming and complex task faced by many academic departments across the world. Firstly, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of employing different allocation strategies from the point of view of students and supervisors. Then, we describe an artificial intelligence tool that overcomes many of the limitations of the strategies described in the article, and that solves the problem of allocating students to supervisors. The tool is capable of allocating students to supervisors by considering the preferences of both students and supervisors with regards to research topics, the maximum supervision quota of supervisors, and the workload balance of supervisors.Sanchez-Anguix, V.; Chalumuri, R.; Alberola Oltra, JM.; Aydogan, R. (2020). Artificial intelligence tools for academic management: assigning students to academic supervisors. IATED. 4638-4644. https://doi.org/10.21125/inted.2020.1284S4638464

Requirements for an Online Automated Project Allocation System in Higher Education Institutions – A Case Study

This paper presents the requirements gathered for an online automated project allocation system that can be used to assign final year projects to students registered in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The requirements are gathered for a well-known University in Mauritius. This research is motivated by several issues encountered with the current manual system in place at the studied institution and the need for adopting online systems following the COVID-19 outbreak. Following document analysis and a survey, important functional and non-functional requirements for an online automated project allocation system were uncovered. Gathered requirements also helped in determining a recommended workflow that can be adopted as best practice for final year project allocation. We posit that requirements presented in this paper can help develop a system that can be very useful and ultimately streamline the process for allocating projects typically important for Higher Education Institutions and other similar training institutions