Head of university occupying sort of training place (3)
I believe the answer is:
put
'place' is the definition.
(I know that place can be written as put)
'head of university occupying sort of training' is the wordplay.
'head of' says to take the initial letters.
'occupying' is an insertion indicator (inserted letters occupy or enter the word).
'sort of training' becomes 'PT' (physical training).
The initial letter of 'university' is 'u'.
'u' placed into 'pt' is 'PUT'.
(Other definitions for put that I've seen before include "Place; placed" , "Place, lay" , "Place in a location" , "Place in a position" , "Set (in place)" .)