Michele van der Merwe is an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum Studies,  Faculty of Education at Stellenbosch University. She holds BA, BA Hons, MA and D.Litt. (Afrikaans en Nederlands) degrees from the University of Stellenbosch. Her professional qualifications include B.Tech.: Education: Tertiary cum laude from Technikon SA. Professor Van der Merwe was awarded the Nuffic scholarship for postdoctoral research at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands and is an alumnus from Nuffic.

Professor Van der Merwe is a NRF rated researcher and is investigating lexicography as well as language teaching in the Southern African context. She has received two rector's awards for excellent teaching. 

Professor Van der Merwe has HOD of the Department Curriculum Studies. She also serves on the SU-UIC Curriculum and Assessment Committee.

She is co-editor of two scientific journals, Lexikos and Per Linguam and served on the Board of Afrilex (African Association for Lexicography).

Social impact projects include the South African Trilingual Wine Industry Dictionary (finalist for “ATKV Woordveertjie” in lexicography) as well as the MobiLex glossary, funded by Winetech and UCDG respectively).