Land in sand spread around university (5)
I believe the answer is:
sudan
'land' is the definition.
(Sudan is an example)
'sand spread around university' is the wordplay.
'spread' indicates an anagram.
'around' is an insertion indicator.
'university' becomes 'u'.
'sand' anagrammed gives 'sdan'.
'sdan' enclosing 'u' is 'SUDAN'.
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for sudan that I've seen before include "African country on the Red Sea" , "Country in NC Africa, capital Khartoum" , "Country south of Egypt" , "Country bordering the Red Sea" , "Country W. of Ethiopia" .)