What is the Difference Between Symposium and Conference?

The main difference between a symposium and a conference lies in their scope, size, and focus. Here are the key differences between the two:

Scope: Symposiums are smaller and more focused events that center on a specific topic, while conferences are larger and cover a broader range of topics.
Size: Conferences are typically larger events that last for days, whereas symposiums are usually one-day events.
Format: Symposiums are often less formal than conferences, which encourages more discussion between attendees and the symposium host. Presenters at a symposium are usually experts in their field and may present their data, findings, and published papers. Conferences, on the other hand, can have various formats, including presentations, panel discussions, and workshops, with sessions often occurring simultaneously.
Audience: Conferences can be national or international, attracting participants from different fields of research interested in a common topic. Symposiums are more focused on a particular subject or issue, which means that the target audiences are slightly different.
Location: Symposiums may be held at different locations, such as hotels or conference centers, while conferences often take place in large venues like congress centers.

Both symposiums and conferences are gatherings of people designed to present information to the attendees and are scholarly in nature. However, the differences in their scope, size, format, audience, and location make them distinct types of events.