The main difference between workshop seminar symposium and conference is their unique characteristics: Workshops are more practical in nature, seminars are more academic in nature, while symposiums and conferences tend to be more formal in nature.
It’s difficult to identify the differences between these four types of meetings since people tend to use these terms interchangeably. Some aspects of these meetings also overlap with each other.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Workshop
– Definition, Features
2. What is Seminar
– Definition, Features
3. What is Symposium
– Definition, Features
3. What is Conference
– Definition, Features
3. What is the Difference Between Workshop Seminar Symposium and Conference
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Conference, Seminar, Symposium, Workshop 
What is a Workshop
We can describe a workshop as a meeting where a group of people learn about something through intensive discussions and activities related to it. Workshops may involve small or large group discussions, exercises and activities, and practical application of concepts learned. In workshops, participants, usually, involve fully in the learning process. Therefore, they include working, thinking, processing, doing, creating, and interacting.
When we compare workshops with conferences and symposiums, workshops are more practical in nature and offer hands-on sessions. Moreover, workshops may have different purposes; for example, problem-solving, training, and informing.
What is a Seminar
A seminar is a form of academic meeting. It can be held at an academic institution or offered by a professional or commercial organization. Seminars are generally recurring meetings that focus each time on specific subjects. The attendees are also expected to actively participate in these meetings. Active participation is achieved through engaging in discussion about the relevant topic. A seminar is always lead by a seminar leader or an instructor who directs the discussion. A seminar can involve a formal presentation as well.
Although seminars are academic in nature, seminars can also be classified into several categories such as educational seminars, business seminars, etc. A business seminar can be a place where new skills are taught to the business owners.
What is a Symposium
A symposium is a meeting at which a number of experts in a particular field discuss a particular subject. We usually use the word symposium to refer to different types of meetings. It can sometimes refer to an academic conference or even a university class that has an openly discursive form. A symposium generally involves multiple speakers and multiple speeches.
Typically, a symposium is more formal or academic and features multiple experts delivering brief presentations on a particular topic. Like a workshop, it focuses on a particular issue rather than a general discussion, but it’s less practical than a workshop. Moreover, a symposium is usually completed within a day. Generally, symposiums are smaller than conferences.
What is a Conference
A conference is a large and formal meeting that aims at discussion, problem-solving, and consultation. It is a platform where people ‘confer’ about a topic. Conferences have specific objectives and can last for several days. There are various types of conferences, such as academic conferences, business conferences, media conferences, trade conferences, religious conference, etc. An academic conference is a place for academicians and researchers to present and discuss their work. A business conference, on the other hand, is a conference that focuses on new trends and opportunities in the business. Moreover, innovative ideas and new information can be exchanged at all types of conferences. Some conferences do not allow discussions.
A conference usually has an organized format. Selection of speakers and subjects happen before the conference. Moreover, there is a keynote speaker who delivers the keynote speech. You can notice this in both academic and business conferences.
Difference Between Workshop Seminar Symposium and Conference
Definition
A workshop is a meeting where a group of people learn about something through intensive discussions and activities related to it, while a seminar is a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or organized by a professional organization. A symposium is a meeting at which a number of experts in a particular field discuss a particular subject while a conference is a formal meeting of people with shared interests, involving discussion, problem-solving, and consultation.
Formality
Workshops and seminars are not as formal as symposiums and conferences.
Topic
Workshops and symposiums tend to focus on a specific subject or topics, while seminars and conferences can be more general in nature.
Practical Activities
Moreover, workshops offer more practical activities than seminars, symposiums and conferences.
Duration
Workshops can be one-day or may continue for several days while seminars are conducted in one day though they can be recurrent. Conferences can last for several days, while symposiums are usually completed within one day.
Conclusion
Workshops are more practical in nature, seminars are more academic in nature, while symposiums and conferences tend to be more formal in nature. Thus, this is the main difference between workshop seminar symposium and conference.
Image Courtesy:
1. “1597531” (CC0) via Pixabay
2. “International Satellite Communication Symposium 2016 (27072489584)” By ITU Pictures from Geneva, Switzerland – International Satellite Communication Symposium 2016 (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
3. “Delegates Seated in Finlandia Hall at the Opening of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), in Helsinki, Finland” (CC0) via Picryl
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