In 2007, during the second phase of the history of Portuguese quality assurance, a new system was established along with a new body responsible for its coordination – the Higher Education Assessment and Accreditation Agency (A3ES). As the new system’s legal framework, although assuring students’ participation, does not specify objectively its several dimensions and ‘functional’ contents, A3ES decided to conduct a study on this subject. The aim was to produce an analysis which, based on examples and good practice verified at the European level, would enable the discussion and the proposal of a model for Portuguese student participation in higher education assessment. This paper presents the main features of this model.