Display Omitted We propose a novel improved teaching-learning-based optimization algorithm with the concept of historical population.Two new operators are designed in the proposed algorithm to achieve the balance of exploration and exploitation ability.24 benchmark functions are tested with other algorithms to verify the good exploration and exploitation ability of proposed algorithm.The proposed algorithm is applied to address a combinatorial optimization problem in foundry industry with the design of coding and decoding mechanism. Teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO) algorithm is a novel nature-inspired algorithm that mimics the teaching and learning process. In this paper, an improved version of TLBO algorithm (I-TLBO) is investigated to enhance the performance of original TLBO by achieving a balance between exploitation and exploration ability. Inspired by the concept of historical population, two new phases, namely self-feedback learning phase as well as mutation and crossover phase, are introduced in I-TLBO algorithm. In self-feedback learning phase, a learner can improve his result based on the historical experience if his present state is better than the historical state. In mutation and crossover phase, the learners update their positions with probability based on the new population obtained by the crossover and mutation operations between present population and historical population. The design of self-feedback learning phase seeks the maintaining of good exploitation ability while the introduction of the mutation and crossover phase aims at the improvement of exploration ability in original TLBO. The effectiveness of proposed I-TLBO algorithm is tested on some benchmark functions and a combinatorial optimization problem of heat treating in foundry industry. The comparative results with some other improved TLBO algorithms and classic algorithms show that I-TLBO algorithm has significant advantages due to the balance between exploitation and exploration ability.