Part of service university held in public (9)
I believe the answer is:
communion
'part of service' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'university held in public' is the wordplay.
'university' becomes 'uni' (I've seen this in other clues).
'held in' is an insertion indicator.
'public' becomes 'common' ('common' can be similar in meaning to 'public').
'uni' put inside 'common' is 'COMMUNION'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for communion that I've seen before include "Sharing of spiritual feelings" , "fellowship" .)