Symposium vs Conference
Seminars, workshops, conferences,
symposiums etc are events that are held mostly in academic environments. Many
people remain confused between these nomenclatures and cannot tell a symposium
from a conference considering their similarities and overlapping in the manner
in which they are arranged and participated. However, there are differences
pertaining to the number of delegates, topics covered, duration etc that will
be discussed in this article.
Symposium
A symposium is a formal gathering in
an academic setting where participants are experts in their fields. These
experts present or deliver their opinions or viewpoints on a chosen topic of
discussion. It would be correct to label a symposium as a small scale
conference as the number of delegates is smaller. There are the usual
discussions on the chosen topic after the experts have presented their
speeches. The chief characteristic of a symposium is that it covers a single
topic or subject and all the lectures given by experts are completed in a
single day.
Symposium is a bit casual in nature,
and there is not much pressure on the delegates to perform or present lectures
in the best possible manner as is the case in other academic events. There are
lunch breaks, tea, snacks etc to break the ice further.
Conference
Conference refers to a formal meeting
where participants exchange their views on various topics. Conference can take
place in different fields, and it need not be academic in nature all the time.
Thus, we have parent teacher conferences, sport conferences, a trade
conference, a conference of journalists, conference of doctors, a conference of
research scholars, and so on. A conference is a meeting that has been
prearranged and involves consultation and discussion on a number of topics by
the delegates.
A conference is on a large scale with
a large number of participants though a conference can take place between just
two people, the student and his instructor. In general though, a conference
refers to a meeting of lots of people coming from different places at the
conference venue and discussing their views on a number of topics. A conference
stretches over a period of few days with formal discussions taking place on
chosen days and according to the agenda of the conference.
Symposium vs Conference
• Conference and symposium are similar
events where speakers come together and give their opinions on a chosen subject
• Symposium can be described as a
smaller conference that gets over in a single day with a lesser number of
delegates
• Symposium is a bit casual in nature
with breaks for snacks and lunch
In a symposium, experts give lectures
on a single topic whereas in a conference, there is a discussion on several
topics
