Thugs from Brest working around university (6)
I believe the answer is:
brutes
'thugs' is the definition.
'brest working around university' is the wordplay.
'working' indicates an anagram.
'around' indicates putting letters inside.
'university' becomes 'u'.
'brest' is an anagram of 'brtes'.
'brtes' placed around 'u' is 'BRUTES'.
'from' is the link.
(Other definitions for brutes that I've seen before include "Savagely violent men or animals" , "Beasts" , "Animals other than humans (6)" , "Savages" .)