Colloquium vs. seminar: what are the differences? 

Do you want to organise a colloquium or a seminar? Do you know exactly what the difference is between these two types of professional event? Here’s what you need to know about the differences between a colloquium and a seminar.

What is a colloquium?

A colloquium is a meeting for experts who debate a specific subject. It could be a colloquium on the growing use of artificial intelligence in various fields of activity. It could also be a colloquium that’s connected to the environment. There is no shortage of subjects.

The colloquium is in some ways a less formal version of a congress but it is more formal than a seminar. The colloquium is therefore a halfway-house between the congress and the seminar.

In summary, the colloquium is:

• structure: a meeting of professionals;
• objectives: debate, discuss a precise topic, share work, exchange ideas, etc.;
• content that is intended for professionals (target audience).

At a colloquium, there may be conferences and roundtables, and some breaks as well (coffee break, lunch). At some colloquiums, workshops are offered.

How can you organise a colloquium?

A colloquium is the perfect event for meeting other experts in your field. But planning one requires a lot of attention to detail.

You must therefore take multiple things into account, such as the budget you can/wish to set aside for the event, the subject you wish to explore, the people/companies you wish to invite or indeed the date on which you want to organise the event.

Choosing a venue for your colloquium is also one of the things you need to do. Kinepolis offers you cinema auditoriums of various sizes, and suited to your needs, for hire.  Several reception spaces are also available near our auditoriums, meaning you can offer your guests a break with snacks, for instance.

Think about the equipment you’re going to need for your colloquium, too. All of our auditoriums are equipped with state-of-the-art technical equipment, including big screens and HD digital projectors. We also offer livestreaming of your event, so that as many people as possible can follow it from a range of different places.

Once you’ve finished organizing your colloquium, it’s time to promote it.  Talk about it on social networks (you can choose to get your posts sponsored, for greater visibility) and to your professional network.

Send out your invitations and remember to ask for a reply by a certain date, so that you know how many people to expect.

What is a seminar?

A seminar is a professional meeting too, but it’s less formal than a colloquium, as stated above.

For a corporate seminar, it’s entirely possible to think up some fun activities or sporting activities to include. The aim is to strengthen the bonds between a company’s employees, or to “(re)motivate the troops”.

The seminar may last a day, or several days.

In summary, a seminar is:

• structure: a corporate meeting that is less formal than a colloquium, with fun activities (escape game, sporting experiences, cookery classes, photo booth, etc.);
• goals: to strengthen the bonds between a company’s staff, and boost motivation and productivity…;
• target audience: the staff of the company organizing the event.

Organising a seminar

More relaxed than a colloquium, a seminar is nonetheless a professional event that must be planned several months in advance.

Choosing the venue, the activities/entertainment, the budget… There are various key things to consider.

For your corporate seminar, put your trust in our teams for an unforgettable, bespoke event. We adapt our approach to suit your wishes and needs, by offering you a range of services: catering services, MC services and so on.

Difference between a colloquium and a seminar: a summary

The main difference between a colloquium and a seminar is that a colloquium is a more formal professional event than a seminar.

Moreover, the seminar is participatory and includes fun activities aimed at strengthening team spirit or staff motivation. At a colloquium, the discussions take place between the speakers and the audience.

If you would like to call on the services of Kinepolis Business for your event, we’ll be able to offer you tailored solutions, whether it’s a colloquium or a seminar.

Auditoriums and/or reception spaces for hire, state-of-the-art technology for your corporate events, additional services… There are plenty of good reasons to put your trust in us.

You now know the differences between a colloquium and a seminar. For your upcoming events, call on us here at Kinepolis Business to hire an auditorium and/or reception space, while benefiting from a host of additional services. We put our experience and competences at your disposal, to guarantee high-quality professional events.