A plenary session is a session of a conference which all members of all parties are to attend. Such a session may include a broad range of content, from keynotes to panel discussions, and is not necessarily related to a specific style of presentation or deliberative process.
The term has been used in the teaching profession to describe when information is summarized. This often encourages class participation.
The Congress of Vienna is an example of a congress that did not meet in plenary sessions.