Around academic award, drop a controversial strategy (4,3)
I believe the answer is:
road map
'strategy' is the definition.
'around academic award drop a controversial' is the wordplay.
'around' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'academic award' becomes 'ma' (abbreviation for a Master of Arts degree).
'controversial' is an anagram indicator.
'drop'+'a'='dropa'
'dropa' is an anagram of 'roadp'.
'ma' placed into 'roadp' is 'ROAD-MAP'.
(Other definitions for road map that I've seen before include "Document detailing route to an end" , "Plan for travel - or for peace" , "One shows the way" , "Guide" , "Driver's chart showing routes" .)