Michael Cheng

Bio:

Dr. Michael Cheng is Dean and Professor of Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, where he has led the School since 2017. Under his leadership, the Chaplin School rose from No. 107 to No. 23 globally in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject and is ranked No. 1 in Florida and No. 3 among U.S. public universities.

Cheng has led the development of the School’s Vision 2030 strategy, expanded its global academic and industry partnerships, and raised more than $48 million in philanthropic support. His leadership has helped establish and expand major initiatives including the Bacardi Center of Excellence, the McKibbon ’75 Alumni Experience and Professorship in Technology, the Vidal-Duart Wine Studies Program, the Alex Krys Center for Hospitality Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and the Cruise Excellence Center.

A tenured professor and hospitality educator, Cheng’s academic expertise includes competency-based learning, hospitality management, Culinology®, food product development, restaurant development, sensory analysis, and food and beverage management. Before joining FIU, he served as founding department chair, professor, Director of Global Studies, and Director of the MBA Program at Southwest Minnesota State University.
Cheng earned his Ph.D. in Hospitality Management from Iowa State University, an M.S. in Nutritional Science & Dietetics with an emphasis in Restaurant/Food Service Management from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a B.S. in Human Resources and Family Sciences with a major in Restaurant/Foodservice Administration from Nebraska.

His honors include the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Alumni Master Award, recognition among the Top 100 Most Powerful People in USA and Global Hospitality by the International Hospitality Institute, and four consecutive selections as a South Florida Business Journal Power Leader in Hospitality Education from 2023 through 2026. A native of Malaysia, Cheng is also co-author of Hospitality Today: An Introduction. He is fluent in Cantonese and conversational Mandarin.