Academic prizes and awards vs academic achievements

Question

What do PhD scholarship application forms mean by "Details of academic prizes and awards" and "Details of academic achievements"?

Are not academic prizes and academic achievements same things?

Answer 1

First note that "achievement" isn't an exactly-defined term and is at least somewhat subjective.

• Academic achievement: An act or process which, when concluded, expands human knowledge or understanding of some subject by means of (academic) research; or alternatively, disseminates or improves in the dissemination of such knowledge in an academic context (e.g. via teaching). In some context this may also mean achievements in studying some academic subject matter yourself.
• Academic awards: Awards given in academia or by academia, for academic activity (supposedly).

There is obviously some overlap between the two terms ("achievements" vs "prizes and awards"); awards are usually given to recognize or encourage academic achievements, or to compensate for the travail of making those achievements.

Example:

• Presenting a research paper in a well-regarded conference is an achievement.
• Your paper being recognized as the "best paper" for that conference is a borderline-achievement.
• The "best paper" is an award (possibly including some money, gift or other perk).