Difference Between Meeting and Conference

Main Difference – Meeting vs Conference

Both meeting and conference refer to events where a group of people gets together for a particular purpose. Both these events are held with the purpose of discussion, problem-solving or fact finding. Despite these similarities, there is a difference between meeting and conference. A conference is more formal than a meeting and has a larger number of attendees. The term meeting, on the other hand, can refer to different types of gatherings, ranging from informal to formal. This is the main difference between meeting and conference.

This article covers,

1. What is a Meeting? – Definition and Characteristics

2. What is a Conference? – Definition and Characteristics

3. Key Differences Between Meeting and Conference

What is a Meeting

The term meeting can refer to different types of gatherings. An appointment between two people, a gathering of all the employees in an office, gathering of family members, session of a book club, assembly of people for a religious purpose, etc. can all be considered as meetings.

Meetings can be casual and unplanned. For example, the employees in an office may be called for a sudden meeting to discuss a problem that has popped up. Here, the topic under discussion is not also planned. Meetings can be held in the office, home, or any similar space. A meeting does not usually include a very large crowd. A meeting also won’t last for days like a conference. It will be over in a few short hours. In some cases, it won’t even take an hour.

What is a Conference

A conference is a formal meeting that is generally designed for discussion, fact-finding, problem solving, and consultation. Conferences are usually held in external venues such as conference halls that can accommodate a large number of attendees. These attendees can be from different companies or organizations. A conference is a formal meeting and therefore has a proper program and agenda. It has a formal progress; the speakers and the topics for discussion are always selected before the conference. A conference can also last for more than one day.

As the term conference itself suggests, a conference is a platform for people to confer about a topic. There can be various types of conferences. Some examples of different types of conferences include academic conferences, news conferences, business conferences, etc. However, discussions are not always allowed in a conference.