Our Timetabling Community Meetups are up and running!

University timetablers often tell us they’d love more opportunities to come together as a community and share knowledge.

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After all, no one understands the job quite like other timetablers!

Which is why this year we launched our Timetabling Community Meetups - a series of free, in-person events designed for timetablers just like you 😊.

In May we held our first meetups at the University of Leeds and Cardiff Metropolitan University. They were brilliant days all round, with timetablers from universities all over the UK coming together for an action-packed agenda of learning, networking, fun and freebies.

A deep dive into timetabling challenges

At the first meetup in Leeds, founder Ben kicked the day off with a deep dive into the unique challenges timetablers face and techniques and frameworks to tackle them.

Then it was time to mix things up and put words into action. With everyone in teams, timetabling dilemmas were put to the test in real time using problem-solving frameworks. With the teams all having the opportunity to learn from one another, and our experts on hand to help guide discussions and offer advice, everyone came away with concrete ideas to take back to their own university - and help them rock in their role!

An inspiring lunch and learn session

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Write your awesome label here.
Write your awesome label here.
Write your awesome label here.
Write your awesome label here.
Write your awesome label here.
Write your awesome label here.
The lunch and learn session gave food for thought too, with the team at the University of Leeds sharing some of its own approaches to timetabling at one of the largest campuses in the UK. One area it invests a lot of time into is its onboarding of new timetablers - using video content, one-to-one tutoring sessions and other training content to bring them up to speed. The approach has proven so successful, it’s now planning to roll out a similar strategy to help the whole team regularly refresh their skills.

Sharing challenges and best practice

Everyone who attended both days said they gave them a unique opportunity to find out how other universities tackle common timetabling problems. To sum up the day in Leeds in the words of one of our attendees, “it was motivational and beneficial to share challenges and best practice!”

If you missed out on attending one of our Timetabling Community Meetups this time around don’t panic, because we’re holding them throughout 2023. Here’s three great reasons to join us for our next one:

✔️They’re free to attend (with freebies to take away too)

✔️You’ll learn a ton of new skills to help you rock at timetabling

✔️They’re a great way to meet fellow timetablers from all over the UK!

Pop your name on the list, and we’ll let you know when the next one is happening 😊

Tell me when the next Timetabling Community Meetup is happening!

We’re also keen to hear from you if you’d be interested in helping us host a meetup, just like the lovely team at Leeds University did! 

“An excellent opportunity to meet with and talk to other institutions.”
Natasha Bower, senior timetable officer, University of Sheffield

“Well structured and organised. Like a timetable!”
Nadine Hodson, timetabling co-ordinator, University of York
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