Project-based instruction aligned with the CDIO model has emerged as a forward-thinking pedagogical method aimed at preparing graduates to meet the increasing demands for competent professionals. This study centers on evaluating the influence of several determinants—Learning motivation, Learning methods, Consistency in learning, Competition in learning, and the University brand—on the academic results of learning project subjects designed within the Project subjects oriented CDIO framework at Vinh University. Adopting a quantitative design, researchers surveyed a sample of 200 students from multiple academic disciplines and processed the findings using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique. The analysis revealed four significant predictors of academic performance: three established influences—Learning Method, Consistency in learning, and University Brand—as well as an emergent variable, referred to as "will to learn," which demonstrated a constructive link to student outcomes. Based on these findings, the study outlines several practical interventions aimed at enhancing these variables to improve student performance in CDIO-oriented project subjects, thus supporting all four foundational dimensions of the CDIO educational philosophy.
