Professor Nhlanhla Mpofu is the Chair of Curriculum Studies and an Associate Professor at Stellenbosch University in Cape Town, South Africa. She specializes in Second Language Teacher Education and Language-in-Education, where she has built a strong academic and research profile. As an established researcher and practitioner, Professor Mpofu is involved in various English language programs and qualifications, including ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students), AMEP (Adult Migrant English Program), and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). Her work focuses on multilingual, multicultural, and superdiverse language contexts, reflecting her commitment to addressing the complexities of language education in diverse settings. In addition to her position at Stellenbosch University, Professor Mpofu is a Visiting Professor at the Antwerp School of Education at Universiteit Antwerpen in Belgium. She previously held a similar role at the Watson College of Education at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. A Fulbright alumna, she completed a fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the USA.

Professor Mpofu's research focuses on instructional practices used by both English as a Second Language and content teachers in English medium of instruction contexts. She explores how these practices are influenced by various factors, including educators' beliefs, personal epistemology, disciplinary knowledge, implicit theories, and passion, all within multilingual education systems. Guided by an asset-based pedagogical approach, Prof. Mpofu emphasizes valuing the cultural and linguistic resources present in diverse language contexts, including multicultural and superdiverse settings.  Professor Mpofu has mentored several PhD and MEd students and authored numerous articles and book chapters as a scholar. She has delivered public lectures, served as a journal editor and associate editor, and participated as a member of the editorial board for various language and SoLT journals. Additionally, she has been a keynote and plenary speaker at national and international conferences and has appeared in news stories and radio interviews related to her expertise. Her scholarly contributions have earned her recognition as a Y-rated researcher by the South African National Research Foundation and an induction into the South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS).