The research addresses a critical aspect of organizational settings â\euro“ team formation â\euro“ which is vital for effective team-based learning. In many organizational environments, successful teamwork depends on the composition of teams that consider various criteria, such as skill levels, background, and personality traits. Meanwhile, maintaining fairness and equity among teams is crucial to ensure equal opportunities for all team members. Our research framework lies in its ability to model a diverse range of factors, while simultaneously maximizing within-team diversity and minimizing conflict levels.Â

In this study, we introduce a novel application of multi-criteria integer programming (MCIP) that diverges from traditional and single-objective optimization methods to address the complexity of team formation with a focus on multiple criteria. This approach offers a comprehensive solution that accommodates multiple criteria simultaneously.

The contributions of this paper are:

1) An innovative optimization model for team formation that addresses the complex task of maximizing intra-group diversity while minimizing inter-group diversity.Â

2) Addressing the challenge of forming balanced and diverse student teams and providing educators with a practical tool for effective team formation.