Implement silent reforms to support university (7)
I believe the answer is:
utensil
'implement' is the definition.
(utensil is a kind of implement)
'silent reforms to support university' is the wordplay.
'reforms' is an anagram indicator.
'to support' means one lot of letters go next to another (in a down clue, some letters hold others up).
'university' becomes 'u' (**).
'silent' with letters rearranged gives 'tensil'.
'tensil' put after 'u' is 'UTENSIL'.
(Other definitions for utensil that I've seen before include "vessel" , "Mandolin, perhaps" , "knife, maybe" , "A tool for household use" , "E.g. colander" .)