Application of the Multi-Criteria Analysis Method to Optimize the Selection of Students for International Exchange Programs

This article provides a comprehensive analysis and subsequent optimization of the activities of the International Office operating in the structure of one of the institutes of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. The relevance of the research is due to the need to increase the effectiveness of the selection of candidates for international academic programs in the face of increasing competition and stricter requirements for the quality of training of participants. The IDEF0 functional modeling methodology was chosen as the main research tool which made it possible to describe and structure the current business processes of the department in detail, fixing their AS-IS state. The analysis of the constructed models revealed a number of systemic problems and «bottlenecks» related to the subjectivity of decision-making and the lack of formalized criteria for evaluating applicants. The logical solution to eliminate the identified shortcomings was the development of a multi-criteria analysis model which formed the basis for creating improved processes in the «as it should be» state. In the practical part of the study, a system of evaluation criteria and corresponding weighting coefficients reflecting the university's priorities was elaborated in detail. The approbation of the developed model based on the hypothetical data of the students confirmed its efficiency, objectivity and practical significance for improving the quality of selection. The final conclusions substantiate the prospects and the possibility of further scaling the proposed model for the needs of other structural divisions of the university and similar organizations.