Ivy Irvine Mikal is the Head of Academic Collaboration and Quality Assurance at the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management (Sarawak). She obtained her Master’s degree in Human Resource Development and her Bachelor of Arts in English Language from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Her studies were supported by scholarships from the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia and the Sarawak Tunku Abdul Rahman Scholarship Foundation. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Philosophy (Business and Management) at UCSI University. With a diverse academic background spanning human resource development and language studies, her transition into the fields of tourism and hospitality reflects a growing professional interest in interdisciplinary research and academic administration. She continues to demonstrate strong cross-disciplinary expertise that aligns closely with her current leadership roles.

Her research interests centre on gastronomy, tourism, and cultural heritage, with a particular focus on Sarawak’s culinary traditions. She has been actively involved in projects aimed at documenting and preserving local gastronomic heritage, most notably as part of the research team whose work, Unearth Sarawak Cuisine: Taste of Sarawak, received the prestigious Best Field Work Research in the World award at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Portugal. Beyond her research contributions, she has developed a strong reputation in academic collaboration, institutional partnership development, and quality assurance, playing a key role in elevating the faculty’s academic standards and strengthening its external engagement.