Reframing student participation in curriculum decision-making:

Student participation in curriculum decision-making is widely promoted as an empowering mechanism in higher education, yet remains insufficiently theorized, particularly in Global South contexts where participatory structures may be unevenly enacted. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study reconceptualizes participation as a psychologically contingent process shaped by autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Using a mixed-methods design, survey data from 240 students across three Vietnamese universities were complemented by interviews with 21 students. The results reveal four findings: (1) participation is largely procedural, (2) student voice does not necessarily translate into influence, (3) students often question their competence, and (4) psychological safety shapes willingness to engage. The study shows that participation is not inherently empowering but motivationally contingent, and advances the concept of need-supportive curriculum governance.