Seminars and conferences are conducted to discuss a specific subject and bring about a solution to the topic. Here a topic of common interest is discussed. Not only the speaker but the participants can also give their opinion.
Conference
A conference is organised to discuss a topic everybody has a common interest in. Here the valuable opinions of the participants are also welcomed.
Seminar
In a seminar, a small group of participants joins together to talk about a specific subject. Here the seminar experts will give training and knowledge to the participants.
What are the difference between a Seminar and a Conference?
Seminar discusses a particular topic that every participant is interested in, they are also short meetings. Directly related topics are taught in a seminar
But conferences take more time compared to a seminar. They take more time because the participants have to give their opinions after which a complete analysis is made to reach the conclusion.
The moderators give classes to the participants, where they are treated as students. Seminars are an educational forum, where experts talk about or share their knowledge about a specific topic.
But conferences are not like this, they follow a consultative mode. Here the participants are asked their opinions on a specific aspect which can be of common interest to all the participants. Moreover, in a conference, the opinion of the participants counts as their opinions are analysed to reach the conclusion.
During a seminar, all the participants are given certificates to understand that they have participated in this event, with the subject mentioned in the certificate. This certificate can be useful as this can be attached to the resume when applying for any job, this will add educational value. Whereas in a conference no certificate is offered. During a conference no new knowledge is acquired, you are just gaining clarity on a specific topic.
In a seminar, the participants do not express their views about a specific topic. If anybody needs clarity on a specific thing the moderator will pass the information to the attendees with the one having the right to ask the question. But in a conference, the active participation of the audience is required for a successful event. Also, they are given a chance to express their opinion during the conference.
The main purpose of organising a seminar is to educate the people about a specific topic to the people who are interested in the same. For example, an organisation can arrange a seminar to educate the workers related to their work and the latest trends. But in a conference, the opinions of the people are collected to know how they react to a particular topic. It can be a recently launched product, where the company needs to know their performance and how the people have reacted to their product.
The seminar is more formal as it has experts to guide and instruct the participants what to do. Acquiring knowledge in a specific topic is the main aim of conducting a seminar. These are conducted by experts and professionals. But conferences are less formal. Here the opinion every participant is considered equally so no one has any special authority.