Want to know what a congress is, learn how it works, and create your own? Then you’ve come to the right place.
A congress is a robust type of event that can bring together many educational and scientific presentations.
So a congress is usually a large event, which means it requires careful attention from the organizing committee.
But don’t worry! In this article, we’ll walk you through all the key points of this type of event. Check it out:
- What is a congress?
- What activities are common at a congress?
- 4 tips for creating a successful congress
- How to organize a congress?
What is a congress?
A congress is a gathering of people with a shared interest, where a central topic is discussed.
This way, a congress serves to present a project or proposal that can question, debate, and problematize a given topic.
One of the biggest differences with a congress is its robust organization, where the topic guides several different formats of presentation for the discussion.
During the event, the speaker is responsible for leading the presentations, guest talks, and the overall pace of the activities.
At a congress, you’ll typically find:
- Educational debates;
- Presentation of research results;
- Short courses;
- Presentation of completed academic papers;
- Experiences and talks from speakers;
- And much more!
What activities are common at a congress?
Now that you know what a congress is, how about learning about all the possibilities this type of event offers?
As mentioned, a congress usually has a very robust agenda, bringing together several different activity formats!
With that in mind, here are a few formats so you can choose the one that best fits your event’s purpose:
1. Round table
Having become a very popular format, the round table is a type of event that aims to raise important questions about a given topic, generating quality debate around it.
So a round table brings together specialists, researchers, and academics, resulting in a valuable discussion for attendees.
After their presentations, the guests are guided by a moderator, who leads the round table, directing questions and managing each guest’s speaking time.
By the end of the round table, the exchange of experiences allows attendees to develop critical thinking about the topic discussed.
2. Symposium
A symposium brings together researchers with the goal of studying and discussing a specific topic, allowing for the possibility of reaching a broader conclusion on the subject.
So this format aims to bring specialists together for an objective exchange of ideas that brings clarity to the scientific debate, resulting in more assertive decision-making.
Like a congress, a symposium can also be a fairly complex event, where presentations can happen in parallel.
3. Seminar
As a format where the moderator is the central figure, seminars are popular among students who are in the research process.
That’s why a seminar works like a debate focused on a particular subject, but without the decision-making aspect found in a symposium, for example.
A seminar is divided into:
- Presentation phase: presenting the subject
- Discussion phase: active audience participation focused on what was covered
- Conclusion phase: gathering the information already discussed in the previous phases
4. Meeting
A meeting aims to discuss topics that are relevant to a particular field, with the goal of understanding what can be improved.
That’s why it seeks to bring together attendees and specialists to debate these topics, generating an exchange of ideas that can lead to decision-making.
So what sets a meeting apart is its focus on being objective about its topics and proposals, driving change within that professional field.
5. Journey (Jornada)
A “jornada” refers to a gathering of professionals from the same field so they can discuss topics of interest to their category.
In this type of event, the goal is to bring new direction to studies in the field.
So a “jornada” stands out for being a more participatory event, since attendees and speakers stay in constant communication throughout the activities.
This way, it maintains ongoing debates that encourage audience participation.
This type of event usually lasts several days and happens periodically throughout the year.
4 tips for creating a successful congress
1. Define your speakers ahead of time
Your speakers might not have room in their schedules for the exact date of your event, so why not extend the invitation early?
Have a quick, direct conversation with your guests, so you can fill and fully confirm your schedule.
And of course, a great tip is to choose authorities on the congress’s proposed topic — people who can bring valuable knowledge and experience to attendees.
So choose your speakers carefully — they’ll be one of the key factors in making your congress work.
2. Focus on promoting your congress
Your congress needs to be seen in order to be remembered and relevant to future attendees.
So invest in promoting your congress, since this way you’ll get far more registrations.
Try using social media to promote it, sharing your topic, speakers, schedule, and all the value attendees can expect to find.
3. Have a clear schedule
For your event to be fully organized, attendees need to have no doubts about times and presentations.
So create a schedule that acts as a compass for your congress’s attendees.
Share the schedule in advance on your social media.
This way, your audience will know ahead of time how the event will work and what attractions to expect, building anticipation for the future.
4. Create certificates for your attendees
Certificates can be considered the “icing on the cake” of your event.
They add a lot of value to attendees’ professional careers, serving as proof of participation.
However, it’s very common for organizers to struggle when generating certificates for a large number of people with different hour requirements.
That’s why platforms like Even3 exist, where you can create your event’s certificates quickly and easily.
Conclusion
The first step to turning your congress from a plan into reality is having solid organization as the foundation for your event.
Without efficient organization, you may run into delays, no-shows, and even postponements, resulting in a problematic, dysfunctional event.
Want to learn more about organizing congresses? We’ve created a complete e-book to help you through every stage.
