Bitter brewed round university gets commendation (7)
I believe the answer is:
tribute
'commendation' is the definition.
(tribute is a kind of commendation)
'bitter brewed round university' is the wordplay.
'brewed' is an anagram indicator.
'round' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'university' becomes 'u'.
'bitter' anagrammed gives 'tribte'.
'tribte' enclosing 'u' is 'TRIBUTE'.
'gets' is the link.
(Other definitions for tribute that I've seen before include "Compliment" , "Rebut it as mark of respect" , "Approving words" , "expression of approval" , "Something given or said as an expression of esteem" .)