This contribution explores the relationship between teacher-centred and student-centred learning environments from a student's perspective. Three different views with respect to this relationship can be retrieved. The "balance" view suggests that the more teacher-centred a learning environment is, the less student-centred it is and vice versa. The "transactional" view stresses the continuous renegotiation of teacher- and student-roles. The "independent" view argues that teacher- and student-centredness are independent features of learning environments. Results from three survey studies of higher education students' conceptions of quality education are discussed. While the practice-oriented literature regularly seems to adopt a balance view, factor analyses did not reveal evidence for the balance view in any of these studies. In students' minds student-centredness and teacher-centredness seem to be mutually reinforcing features of high quality education. From a curricular point of view, and especially with regard to teacher training, the results warrant to argue for the development of so-called powerful learning environments rather than for the transition from teacher-centred towards student-centred learning environments. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)