This study investigates the relationship between student-centred engagement, active and collaborative learning, academic feedback, and academic performance within selected Universities of Technology in South Africa, framed within the context of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Self-Determination Theory posits that individuals are inherently motivated to satisfy their psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Student-centred engagement aligns with the principles of SDT, fostering autonomy through self-directed learning, competence through challenging tasks, and relatedness through collaborative interactions. Through a quantitative survey approach, data were collected from undergraduate students (N = 486) to examine the hypothesized relationships. Structural equation modelling and mediation analyses were conducted to analyse the data. The results indicate significant positive relationships between student-centred engagement, active and collaborative learning, academic feedback, and academic performance. Furthermore, mediation analyses reveal that active and collaborative learning and constructive feedback mediate the relationship between the learning environment and academic performance. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying student success in higher education and have implications for educational practice and policy.

Keywords: Student-centred engagement, academic performance, active learning, collaborative learning, academic feedback, learning environment, University of Technology, South Africa.