Figures leading American university conference … (6)
I believe the answer is:
summit
'conference' is the definition.
(as in a political summit)
'figures leading american university' is the wordplay.
'figures leading' becomes 'sum' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'american university' becomes 'MIT' (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
'sum'+'mit'='SUMMIT'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for summit that I've seen before include "international diplomacy" , "conference?" , "Pinnacle or crest" , "Peak or crest" , "Apex" .)