Slightly elevated, favouring university declaration, initially (5)
I believe the answer is:
proud
'slightly elevated' is the definition.
The answer and definition are not the same part of speech. However, past participle verbs and adjectives occasionally define each other.
'favouring university declaration initially' is the wordplay.
'favouring' becomes 'pro' (being in favour of something).
'initially' suggests taking the first letters.
The first letters of 'university declaration' is 'ud'.
'pro'+'ud'='PROUD'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for proud that I've seen before include "Feeling self-respect - projecting from a surface" , "Slightly projecting; imposing" , "Self-respect, feeling of self-worth" , "Self-respecting or self-important" , "Self-satisfied - arrogant" .)