University of Tasmania, Australia

Syllabus Plus software was chosen for UTAS to introduce a timetabling (scheduling) system and to review and improve the University’s underlying timetable process. Initially it formed part of the SLIMS Project.

SyllabusPlus uses details of locations, staff and course-unit requirements of activities eg lectures and programs of study (combinations of units that must be taken to complete the requirements of a course) and uses them to generate a timetable for the academic year. It is also used for ad-hoc bookings, venue hire bookings and examination room bookings.

Existing UTAS corporate systems hold a significant amount of information which Syllabus Plus uses in order to produce the University’s timetable, they are:

• the University’s student management system. Syllabus Plus will initially interface with the University's current student management application, the USRS. The USRS will supply Syllabus Plus with data relating to organisational units (Faculties, Schools, Institutes etc) and the University’s curriculum (courses, units and activity types). Ultimately, Syllabus Plus will interface with the new TechnologyOne Student Management application (being implemented as part of the SLIMS Student Management Project), at which point, Syllabus Plus will also be able to provide data back to the student management system (relating to timetabled teaching activities):
• the University's infrastructure and facilities management system, Archibus. Syllabus Plus will receive data from Archibus relating to University buildings and rooms, and room attributes, which it will use in determining the suitability of teaching spaces for particular teaching activities

An interface with the HRMS (the University's Human Resources Management System) may also be needed to access data relating to teaching staff availability. This will be subject to Academic Senate endorsement and the availability of the relevant information within the HRMS, which is currently being investigated.

The Timetable, managed centrally, was implemented across the University in 2011 for the 2012 teaching year - with much valued assistance from Schools and Departments. Users of the Syllabus Plus will be the University Timetable Office, school timetabling staff and venue hire.See News Items

Syllabus Plus Terminology | Timetable History | What's next for Timetabling?

SLIMS. What's it all about?