Preparing an optimal exam timetable in universities is challenging for head of departments, especially for colleges with multiple number of departments, courses, and students. Harmony search algorithm is used by many researchers to solve this problem but none of them could get an optimal solution. In this paper, a new algorithm which is called optimised harmony search algorithm with distributed selections is proposed by optimising the harmony search algorithm and the genetic algorithm. The new algorithm could satisfy hard, soft, and general constraints and generate an optimal exam timetable for a huge number of courses and students. The proposed algorithm is implemented and applied on Jadara University, the algorithm uses an upper triangular matrix to reduce relationships and memory usage, a three-dimensional matrix to ease the exams timetable management a deterministic number generators to eliminate timeslots conflicts, and backtracking algorithm to enhance the population selections. Lecturers and students’ feedback showed a good satisfaction as well the system results.

The evidence based study investigating the financing procedures in the higher education institutions in the Arab communities works to identify the challenges and constraints to the education financing. On the other hand, the evidence based study investigates the possible solution to the challenges and constraints that hinder educational development in the Arab nations. The study comes up with recommendations that help the Arab and the developing nations improve their education systems through different strategies. In the current world, there is a challenge due to the changes in technology that every nation is trying to adopt. The developed nations have successfully incorporated technology in their education systems, which has improved learning, especially during the current world COVID-19 pandemic. Online learning is safe and has played a significant role in curbing the spread of the virus. The Arab nations are also affected by the pandemic, which has resulted in changes in the education system resulting in increased dependence on technology. The Arab nations have a great income source since they produce the highest percentage of petroleum products in the world. However, these nations are associated with political instability and wars, which negatively influence education and technology. The key factors that influence the financing of education in the Arab world include brain drain, financial crises, increased wars and terrorism, deference between education outcomes and labour market, shortage of government resources, political instability and differences, poor private sector participation, reliance on policy learning and poor technological advancements. The Arab nations, however, need to consider the challenges mentioned above and constraints to ensure that the financing and budgeting sector prioritizes education systems. Collaboration with other nations and joining world education treaties will ensure education among the Arab nations.

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