This study investigates managerial logic and academic logic by analysing the impact of institutional strategy on undergraduate teaching at a Chinese research university. By reviewing the university strategy and education strategy and interviewing academics from the Engineering faculty, this research provides empirical evidence supporting the argument that management concepts and practices are increasingly applied and recognised in higher education. At the selected university, academics are generally positive about having institutional strategies but have concerns about academic freedom at the same time. In particular, participants are concerned with the increasingly competitive environment for recruitment. Additionally, university-wide curriculum and pedagogy reform have the greatest impact on teaching practices. It appears that universities have the potential to adopt management practices in order to support academic practices. However, the balance is critical to sustaining higher education development.