Newsletter (Issue February 2017)
  
This issue includes:
 
1. PATAT, formerly WATT, the EURO working group on Automated Timetabling’s new name and new website  
2. Timetabling stream at IFORS 2017, Québec City, Canada, July 17-21, 2017  
3.  Timetabling conference PATAT, Udine, Italy, 23 - 26 August, 2016, a report   
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1. PATAT, formerly WATT, the EURO working group on Automated Timetabling’s new name and new website  
In an attempt to avoid confusion between the EWG on Automated Timetabling (WATT) and the EWG’s biannual conference (PATAT), both the WATT coordinators and the PATAT steering committee have agreed to rename the working group to PATAT.
 
PATAT is short for Practice and Theory of Automated Timetabling.  The EWG’s new name was approved by EURO.  The working group’s website is now available at http://patat.cs.kuleuven.be
 
2.  Timetabling stream at IFORS 2017

IFORS 2017: 21st Conference of the International Federation of Operational Research Societies, Québec City Convention Centre, Québec City, Canada, July 17-21, 2017
The EWG PATAT is pleased to announce a Timetabling stream at IFORS 2017.  The timetabling domains covered by the stream may include, but are not restricted to nurse rostering, shift and task scheduling, personnel timetabling, and educational timetabling. Both theoretical issues and application results are welcome. 

The program committee of IFORS 2017 is committed to preparing a high quality scientific program with diverse participants sharing their vision, knowledge and experience of operational research and analytics.

The conference will take place in the Quebec International Convention Center, conveniently located in the heart of Quebec City and one of Canada’s top convention destinations with renowned hospitality and exceptional service, cutting-edge technology and creative cuisine inspired by the rich culinary traditions of North America’s fine dining capital. 

We look forward to welcoming many PATAT members at IFORS 2017!
 
3.  Timetabling conference PATAT, Udine, Italy, 23 - 26 August, 2016, a report  
Andrea Schaerf, Luca Di Gaspero, Sara Ceschia and Tomasso Urli organized the 11th PATAT conference on August 23-26, 2016.  The conference venue "Palazzo Garzolini" is a 18th century palace at the heart of Udine, Italy. The conference, which brought together researchers and practitioners in all aspects of computer-aided timetable generation, was attended by 96 delegates from 24 different countries spread on all continents.
 
The three-day programme featured 61 presentations which represented the state-of-the-art
in automated timetabling: 4 plenary papers, 28 full papers, 26 extended abstracts, 3 system demonstrations. The 4 invited talks were given by Marco Lübbecke, Sanja Petrovic, Thomas Stützle, and Douglas Moody.
 
The main topics of the conference addressed timetabling in several domains, namely education, transportation, and healthcare, among others. The programme covered many relevant aspects of research on timetabling ranging from methodological contributions, new algorithmic developments to system demonstrations. In addition, it included talk on general topics such as practical issues and multi-objective problems.
 
The EWG PATAT is most grateful to the organizing committee for the impeccable organization of PATAT 2016!