The International Conference on Academic and Professional Communication is a biennial academic event organized and hosted by the Communication and Study Skills Unit of the University of Botswana. This conference is a response to the growth of academic literacy and professional communication as areas of research. The theme for the 2020 conference is: Sustainable Communication and Academic Literacy Skills: Global Realities and Implications for Education, Policy and Practice. As the sub-themes for this conference depict, Academic Literacy and Professional Communication are key areas of research across a wide range of disciplines, both academic and industry. Thus, the 5th International Conference in Academic and Professional Communication provides a platform for researchers, educators, scholars, students, and industry professionals and practitioners from across the world to share their perspectives and findings. Furthermore, the conference is a forum for participants to engage in dialogue and in the process foster research partnerships and collaborations with peers. It is noteworthy to mention the growth that the conference has experienced as it successfully published selected papers from the last conference in the Lonaka Journal. This is a tradition we intend to continue.