A bit of brains in joint work around university (11)
I believe the answer is:
hippocampus
'a bit of brains' is the definition.
(part of the brain)
'joint work around university' is the wordplay.
'joint' becomes 'hip' (part of body).
'work' becomes 'op' (common abbreviation for 'opus').
'around' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'university' becomes 'campus' (I've seen this in another clue).
'op' reversed gives 'po'.
'hip'+'po'+'campus'='HIPPOCAMPUS'
'in' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for hippocampus that I've seen before include "A bit of brain brings" , "area of the brain" , "Might this emotional centre" , "One needs a bit of brain" , "part of the brain?" .)