TimeEdit Announcements

Timetable Tightrope: Balancing Student Needs and Practical Realities

A recent panel discussion at Erasmus University Rotterdam brought to light the intricate challenges of crafting student timetables that effectively cater to the needs of students, staff, and institutions.

The Quest for Student-Centricity

The panellists acknowledged the widespread aspiration to create student-focused timetables, while also acknowledging the inherent complexities. Wouter Voss from Thomas More University articulated this tension, noting that while student-centricity is a key goal:

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In the end, planning a student-oriented timetable is still about striking a balance between all the different constraints.

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Factors such as staff availability, limited room capacities, and budget restrictions often necessitate compromises that may not align perfectly with ideal student schedules.

Despite these challenges, the panellists highlighted positive steps towards student-centricity. Institutions are increasingly incorporating flexible curriculum structures, offering students greater choice in crafting their individual study programs. This adaptability aims to accommodate diverse student needs and learning styles.

Michiel Visser from the Politie Academie (Dutch Police Academy) emphasized the complexity of their organization and its impact student-close scheduling: "We are talking about 35,000 students per year... who follow education from basic police to masters, to driving training, to ME training. So the police academy actually does just about everything. And all those different parts of the police academy have different planning and scheduling processes."

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How Curriculum and Scheduling Must Interplay

A recurring theme in the discussion was the importance of aligning curriculum design with scheduling realities. Fred Jonker highlighted how Wageningen University & Research proactively integrates scheduling parameters into its curriculum. By pre-assigning courses to designated morning or afternoon slots, they streamline the scheduling process and ensure that students can seamlessly combine courses without encountering timetable clashes. This approach eliminates the need for complex adjustments later on and provides students with greater clarity and predictability when planning their studies.

Wouter Voss emphasised the value of early and continuous collaboration between curriculum developers and timetable planners. He stressed that involving planners from the outset allows them to provide valuable input on course structuring, flag potential scheduling conflicts, and advocate for solutions that accommodate both student needs and logistical constraints.

‍Voss shared his personal experience, noting that in his own programme, "as soon as they involve me... a number of things can be adjusted, things can be made more feasible in advance." This proactive approach prevents curricula from being finalised without considering the practicalities of scheduling, avoiding potential headaches and disruptions further down the line.

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"What the police academy has now is that our data is actually spread across, yes, across all kinds of different applications, some of which have been developed in-house. That means our data is spread out, no one has an overview of the complete picture.", says Michiel Visser.
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"And that is a deep desire, that with the implementation of TimeEdit, that we will get closer to that picture."

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Getting Meaningful Feedback

The panellists also addressed the critical need for robust feedback mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of timetabling practices and drive continuous improvement. Wouter Voss candidly expressed his frustration with the lack of structured feedback mechanisms, stating, "In my case, outside the exam period, I don't get any feedback on the timetable I've created during a semester."

He proposed implementing simple yet effective feedback tools, such as a "thumbs up, thumbs down" system, to gauge student satisfaction with specific scheduling decisions.

However, gathering and interpreting feedback presents its own set of challenges. Fred Jonker highlighted the difficulty of distinguishing individual preferences from broader trends. He pointed out that feedback often reflects the specific concerns of individual students or teachers, which may not always align with the collective good. Distilling meaningful insights from a diverse range of opinions requires careful analysis and a focus on identifying patterns that benefit the majority.

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Room Utilisation Still a Dominant Factor

In a revealing moment, the panellists were asked to choose between having comprehensive data on room utilisation or receiving direct student feedback on timetables. Unanimously, they prioritised room utilisation data, underscoring the increasing pressure on institutions to optimise resource usage, particularly in the face of rising costs and budgetary constraints.
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While acknowledging the significance of student satisfaction, the panel acknowledged the harsh reality that efficient use of space often takes precedence in resource allocation decisions. Wouter Voss offered a nuanced perspective, stating, "Of course, that space usage... we simply need a space usage to unlock space usage. We need that. Some campuses are under a lot of pressure. Others are quite spacious. We have various ones." This pragmatic view reflects the need to juggle competing priorities while striving to make the best use of available resources.

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Big thanks to our panelists and the great engagement and questions from the crowd of 120 timetablers and curriculum builders across our community! 

We're very excited to release the inaugural community report - State of Scheduling 2024.

More than 200 responses, combined with 54 deep interviews with schedulers and scheduling team managers from around the globe lays the foundation to the report. Our aim is for the report to let you:
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+ Benchmark your situation to peers 

+ Understand current challenges and priorities amongst the community

+ Learn what the sector believes is important going forward towards better scheduling & practices
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We have categorized the report in 4 distinct findings, and all data is available in the appendix for you to find relevant data given your perspective and interest. We are eager to hear your take on the data, and what findings you bring forward.

We hope you find as valuable as we do! Download the report here

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In adopting TimeEdit, Deakin will join The University of Melbourne, La Trobe University, Australian Catholic University, the University of New England and seven other institutions across Australia and New Zealand in using TimeEdit.

Deakin will leverage opportunities provided by TimeEdit to address administrative workloads for stakeholders across the scheduling life-cycle. Staff and students alike can positively engage with a modern user interface to deliver seamless interactions and a superb user experience. 

As the TimeEdit suite has evolved; from world-leading scheduling tool to a comprehensive Academic Operations Platform, marrying Curriculum Management, Student Registration, Scheduling, and Reporting to one integrated suite - the opportunity to grow together was one of the reasons Deakin and TimeEdit decided to partner together.

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By partnering up with TimeEdit, Deakin is looking to improve:

- More efficient data collection processes; moving to automatically validated data collection

- Increase auto scheduling

- Remove manual processes through data collection, scheduling and reporting

- Enable better acccess to data for operations and management.

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“Deakin has always been focused on the student experience, and our adoption of TimeEdit will only enhance our delivery and quality of service to our students.”

Ross Buchan, Director, Student Administration Services

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“We are keenly anticipating the benefits TimeEdit will bring, including productivity improvements, enhanced tool sets and streamlined processes. TimeEdit will enable smooth collaboration between the timetabling team, academic teams, facilities, digital learning teams and other stakeholders - working seamlessly in concert to deliver quality service to staff and students.”‍

Simonne Mullaly, Manager, Timetabling

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“We have been all-in the Australian market from the get-go. Being selected by Deakin to advance their strategic goals, including the journey towards becoming even more student-centric, validates that strong commitment. 

I have had the pleasure to sit-down with the Deakin team numerous times, discussing how we can achieve the improvements they're looking for. One thing is certain: the team will further boost this community. Top tier problem solution, top tier in ambition. I love to have them onboard." ‍

Johan Blomdahl, Chief Executive Officer, TimeEdit

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About TimeEdit: Co-created with 200+ higher education customers, TimeEdit is the fastest growing resource management and academic operations solution in the world. The TimeEdit Academic Operations Platform (AOP) is a suite of interconnected tools designed for academic planning and operations, guided by the principle of creating user interfaces that cater to the needs of each stakeholder across the academic life cycle. As of today TimeEdit is supporting over two hundred institutions across eleven countries.

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About Academic Operations: Academic operations is a blanket term used to describe numerous rudimentary functions that are essential for higher education institutions. Curriculum management, catalog administration, classroom-space management, class scheduling/timetabling, exam scheduling, resource demand analytics, and student registration & allocation are all considered academic operations. In other words: these administrative processes are what allow students to access their education. 

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Enquiries: johan.blomdahl@timeedit.com

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"Throughout the past two years, we have carried out significant discovery work together with institutions, individual thought-leaders and practitioners to understand how TimeEdit can help bring value to the UK higher education community. These conversations have highlighted a substantial demand for a solution that can manage scheduling, curriculum and student allocation in an integrated fashion", says Johan Blomdahl, CEO at TimeEdit.
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With this confidence, and the recent additions to the TimeEdit family, including Nottingham University, University of Stirling, Royal Veterinary College, Salford University, and Gloucestershire University, TimeEdit is now tripling down to ensure long-term commitment in the region. The expansion of our UK team, through the recruitments of Leann Thomas, Mike Earl and Mike Fox highlights the ambition in the market.


Leann Thomas - expertise to lead the way

In July, we welcomed Leann Thomas to support the community as Change Enablement manager. Leann joins us from the University of South Wales, where she led implementation initiatives within with great success. Her insight into the unique challenges and how you deal with organisational change in of the UK's education system will be invaluable to our customers.
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Michael Earl - experience from both supplier and institi

Michael Earl brings extensive timetabling experience from his time at Loughborough University and Nottingham Trent University. His in-depth understanding of the academic sector and his hands-on experience with timetabling at prominent UK universities position him as a key asset for the TimeEdit community.
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Mike Fox - technology meets innovation

Mike Fox, whose background in assisting complex organizations to find the right technology solutions. At TE as Business Development Manager, Mike's expertise will ensure that our clients receive the most innovative and effective solutions tailored to their unique needs. "Always be helping is the mantra I live by, can't wait to get to know the TimeEdit community up close".


"Thrilled to have such an amazing team in place to support our UK community. Even though Gothenburg and London is only 1 hour away, it means the world to offer local implementation, local support, and building up community unique knowledge within the region. I'm 100% excited for 2024", says Matt Dalton, UK Commercial Director.

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At TE Con 2023, BI Norwegian Business School showcased their transformative journey with TimeEdit, moving from fragmented, manual processes to a unified, automated system.

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In a compelling presentation Mai Hermansen detailed BI's shift from isolated planning and manual processes to a centralized and automated system. 3 main topics:

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1. From legacy system to Integrated Solutions

BI's narrative is one of innovation and forward-thinking. Not long ago, BI faced the challenges of siloed operations, an abundance of Excel sheets, and a lack of systemic support which led to inefficiencies and a strenuous workload on staff. As an institution with four campuses across Norway and a vast array of courses, the need for a robust and scalable solution was evident.

2. Centralizing operations

The partnership with TimeEdit began with a vision to centralize and streamline. With a solid infrastructure for scheduling, exam planning and resource allocation - the bar is set high: improve collaboration across campuses, clear policy and procedure alignment and better, more data-driven decision-making.

3. Driving change through collaboration

"Through TimeEdit, we've not just changed how we work; we've enhanced the educational journey for our community"

Mai shared about the collaboration to form new processes; specifically highlighting the importance of transparancy, one unified process description on timetabling, and a clear understanding of roles in the new ways of working.

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Looking ahead

BI's collaboration with TimeEdit is a living example of how technology and change management work hand-in-hand to create better putcomes. Their success story, shared at TE Con 2023, is not just about improved processes but also about the value it brings to their 20,000 students - it's about creating a future where education is seamless, and where students and faculty members can achieve more.

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BI Norwegian Business School Runs on: ‍

Plan for resource planning
Exam for exam scheduling
Core for class scheduling
Preferences for data collection

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In the picturesque heart of Scotland, the University of Stirling has long been known for its world-class research and diverse range of offering. Now, the university has taken a significant step in enhancing its academic operations by choosing TimeEdit as its partner.

"We are super excited to welcome University of Stirling to TimeEdit," says Matt Dalton at TimeEdit. "I have had the privilege to work with the university for quite some time, and have seen their drive and passion to implement a solution that has a meaningful impacts for academics and students."

Our platform will assist University of Stirling in streamlining its academic scheduling, publishing, and data collection to provide a seamless and integrated experience for students and staff.

"This is milestone for us at TimeEdit. It's fantastic to have Stirling onboard, and it's confirmation to our long-term commitment in the UK market."

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Welcome, University of Stirling! Together, let's shape the future of academic operations and create an educational experience that is second to none.

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Context en verwachtingen

De groei en de uitdagingen creëerden nieuwe realiteiten waarmee de universiteit rekening moest houden. Zij benadrukten het belang van roostering en ruimtebeheer om de universiteit goed te laten draaien: hoge normen handhaven en de studenten en de docenten kwalitatieve diensten aanbieden, maar ook in staat zijn om weloverwogen beslissingen te nemen.

Met deze achtergrond werd de aandacht gevestigd op enkele kernpunten:

• Betrokkenheid van de roosteraars (ongeveer 80 personen) en alle middelen van 13 faculteiten in één enkele omgeving
• Uniformering van de roosterprocessen en de toewijzing van lokalen op elke campus
• Rekening houden met de specifieke beperkingen van een faculteit en de campus, maar ook aanpassing aan één gecentraliseerd proces
• Opzetten van procedures om het gebruik van de zalen (die centraal worden beheerd) te maximaliseren in een zeer krappe context voor ruimtebeheer
• Vaststelling van de behoeften inzake onderwijsruimten in een langetermijnperspectief
• Voor alle studenten en docenten een gemakkelijke manier om toegang te krijgen tot hun individuele roosters te krijgen

Gezien deze situatie moest de ULB klaar en beter uitgerust zijn voor haar huidige en toekomstige behoeften. Bovendien, de energie die besteed moest worden aan roostering (creatie, wijzigingen) en het toewijzen van lokalen, dat elk jaar toe nam, was een gebruiksvriendelijke en effectieve oplossing voor het beheren, roosteren en publiceren essentieel voor de ULB. Bovendien, konden ze niet meer afhankelijk zijn van een on-premise oplossingen van een te kleine omvang. In 2020 werd een aanbesteding uitgeschreven om overzicht te krijgen van de bestaande roostervoorzieningen met verschillende doelstellingen in gedachten, en nog belangrijker:

1. Betrouwbaarheid: de gebruikers hadden behoefte aan een oplossing met meer controle over de gegevens, die eenvoudige en snelle controles mogelijk maakt, zodat zij op de gegevens kunnen vertrouwen voor een betere besluitvorming

2. Toegankelijkheid: het moest overal en altijd beschikbaar zijn met een minimale service onderbreking (vooral voor de roosterpublicaties)

3. Kwaliteit en doeltreffendheid: het was nodig de processen te versnellen (b.v. snel reageren in geval van plotselinge wijzigingen, visualisering van de roosters van de zalen) en de roosters flexibeler te maken

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De uitvoering

We hadden een gesprek met Amélie Théry, hoofd van het team Roostercoördinatie en Onderwijslokalen aan de ULB, over de implementatie en de eerste paar maanden met TimeEdit. Ze vertelt over de aanbesteding en het implementatieproces:

"De resultaten van de aanbestedingsprocedure waren heel duidelijk: TimeEdit was het meest geschikt voor de ULB. Toen de implementatie in februari 2021 begon, hadden we een zeer specifiek en ambitieus doel: de rooster- en publicatiesysteem klaar krijgen om alle reserveringen voor het academiejaar 2021-2022 te verwelkomen. Dit betekende in feite dat TE Core, het roostersysteem, volledig geconfigureerd moest zijn vóór april 2021 om de trainingssessies van alle roosteraars en lokaalbeheerders te kunnen starten."

"De resultaten van de aanbestedingsprocedure waren heel duidelijk: TimeEdit was het meest geschikt voor ULB"

"Onnodig te vermelden dat deze periode vrij intens was, vooral vanwege COVID met voortdurende veranderingen in het lopende academische jaar. Zo'n ambitieus project met een korte deadline is zeker een uitdaging geweest. Toch was de projectdefinitie vanaf het begin duidelijk, met een zeer doeltreffende structuur die door de TimeEdit-implementatiemanager werd aangereikt. De indicatoren voor tijd- en project management waren zowel duidelijk als realistisch, en uiteraard afgestemd op de behoeften van de ULB en het korte tijdsbestek."

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Belangrijkste resultaten

Gezien de hoge belangen en de omvang van de veranderingen voor de universiteit, was mislukking of vertraging absoluut geen opties voor deze implementatie. Het project werd ervaren als een groot succes, aangezien alle deadlines werden gerespecteerd en het project management team positieve feedback gaf. Dit maakte ULB's autoriteiten optimistisch over de lancering van TimeEdit. Amélie legt uit:

Het wordt nu duidelijk geworden dat een systeem meer kan zijn dan alleen een plek om onze reserveringen vast te leggen, maar een geheel nieuwe manier om onze rooster en ruimtebeheer vraagstukken te benaderen. En dat is belangrijk."

"De roosteraars konden gemakkelijk met het nieuwe systeem overweg en de veranderingen werden snel opgenomen . Veel gebruikers benadrukten de gebruiksvriendelijkheid van TE Core en hoe geruststellend het was om veranderingen met een paar klikken gedaan en weergegeven te krijgen. De betrouwbaarheid van het systeem en de flexibiliteit van de implementatie om aan onze behoeften te voldoen waren ook enorme pluspunten die ons in staat stelden om het volledige potentieel van roosteren te overwegen. Het wordt nu duidelijk dat het systeem meer kan zijn dan alleen een plaats om onze reserveringen vast te leggen, maar een geheel nieuwe manier om onze roosters en ruimtebeheer vraagstukken te benaderen. En dat is belangrijk."

Afbeelding: ©Lara Herbinia

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June 7, 2023: TimeEdit, Europe's leading provider of academic scheduling software, announced today its official acquisition of Vorsen, a front-runner in the field of Curriculum Management and Academic Evaluation. The acquisition enables TimeEdit’s customers to bridge the big data divide between curriculum, scheduling and academic evaluation. And ultimately, it allows Higher Education institutions to continuously and consciously work towards a better student experience. 

Last year, European market leader TimeEdit grew by 50% globally, adding customers in new markets such as Australia, New Zeeland and Singapore. "It doesn’t matter where you look, the field of academic scheduling is changing. It’s shifting from ’just make it work’ to one of the core pillars to enable a great student-experience”, says Johan Blomdahl, CEO of TimeEdit. “And the acquisition of Vorsen will enable us to facilitate this transition more effectively than before.”

Vorsen’s tools for Curriculum Management, Course Catalog, and Academic Evaluation are now a part of the TimeEdit suite, significantly broadening the platform's functionality.

"Ensuring an extraordinary student experience is more crucial now than ever," states Johan Blomdahl. "Consider the level of customization and convenience we're accustomed to in other aspects of our lives. Higher Education is not immune to this transition; students are requiring more flexibility and have higher expectations than before.”

As TimeEdit warmly welcomes the exceptional team members from Vorsen, the company continues its unwavering commitment to deliver an efficient, user-friendly platform that simplifies complex scheduling tasks and more closely aligns with institutions' academic goals.

"We found a like-minded partner in Vorsen, a company that shares our commitment to user-friendliness, flexibility, and innovation," says Johan Blomdahl.

Steven Losekoot, co-founder of Vorsen, shares the enthusiasm for this development: "Joining forces with TimeEdit opens up an exciting chapter for us at Vorsen. We're thrilled to be part of a shared vision that places student-centric solutions at the forefront of academic scheduling."

For more information, please contact
Johan Blomdahl, johan.blomdahl@timeedit.com 
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About TimeEdit‍

TimeEdit is the leading provider of academic scheduling software in Europe and Australia. The company's focus on student-centric solutions and substantial growth underscore its commitment to aligning academic operations with the needs of students. The recent acquisition of Vorsen sets the stage for TimeEdit to redefine the future of Academic Operations. 

About Vorsen

Vorsen is a dutch company and trailblazer in the field of Curriculum Management and Academic Evaluation. They have customers across the netherlands and the UK. The company's user-friendly, flexible solutions enable institutions to manage curriculum effectively and evaluate academic progress seamlessly.

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Last week, we launched the first version of TE Academy, our new knowledge base for product updates, roadmaps, service status, and more.

TE Academy aims to improve how we communicate with and support our partners and customers. We believe TE Academy provides a single place for everything you need to stay up to date with TimeEdit.

The launch of TE Academy marks the end of our current knowledge bases and release note platforms on Confluence, Notion, and similar. Though still available for a short time, we will no longer update them.

TE Academy as released now is only the first iteration. We will continuously improve functionality, add new content and incorporate your feedback.

You can find TE Academy at academy.timeedit.com. Please explore it and share your thoughts!

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