Form of impropriety when academic leads a country (11)

I believe the answer is:

profanation

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'form of impropriety' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?

'academic leads a country' is the wordplay.
'academic' becomes 'prof' (short for professor).
'leads' says to put letters next to each other (some letters go in front of others).
'country' becomes 'nation' (synonyms).
'prof'+'a'+'nation'='PROFANATION'

'when' acts as a link.

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I've seen this clue in The Times.

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