Introducing optimisation techniques to students: an exam case distribution model

In this paper, an Integer Programming (IP) model is presented to assign MBA and undergraduate students to groups to solve an exam case in an “Operations Research (O.R.)” course. It is assumed that the students have a basic understanding of mathematical programming, and are now ready to build their first real life model in class. Thanks to the direct link with the student’s situation and the immediate repercussion on the exam assignment, students are quickly able to understand the problem and are willing to help to define the problem in class. The example illustrates many O.R.-related issues, such as the balance between problem complexity and solution quality, and the need for dynamic models rather than static ones. Thanks to its simplicity and practicality, this case is an ideal tool to make the often complex domain of O.R. more accessible.