The university’s missions and its role in society have been an important discussion as stakeholder expectations rise and budgetary constraints tighten. In order to respond to these macro conditions, strategic planning has become increasingly integral to university operations with research universities developing each their own university strategy addressing internal matters and external opportunities. This inductive case study explores the process of formulating a strategy at the large science research and education institution. Addressing questions related to openness as an organizing principle, results suggest that inclusion and transparency are widely promoted in the strategy-making process, however the strategy formulation process of the individual departments becomes a practice of combining top-down and bottom-up approaches as a way to maintain openness and participation at the process itself.