The ANT/OR group, part of the Department of Engineering Management within the Faculty of Business and Economics, studies and develops state-of-the-art optimisation models and algorithms for strategic, tactical, and operational decision support. Driven by real-world challenges faced by industry and government, we aim to adapt and enhance existing techniques where possible, and to design new, problem-specific approaches when necessary.

Rather than being guided solely by theoretical curiosity, our work often begins with practical problems that highlight the limitations of existing models and solution methods. We place strong emphasis on developing models and algorithms that are not only innovative, but also robust, applicable, and effective in practice.

We have established expertise in the design and evaluation of (meta)heuristic and other optimisation algorithms. A key focus of our work is understanding how to develop these methods in a scientifically sound and reproducible manner, ensuring both high performance and reliability across diverse planning contexts.