Yes, agreed – the Auto Detect doesn’t always function as expected.
Please check which Port your university’s Mail Server is using.
Then select SSL/TLS.
BTW, I checked what my Plasma 5 KMail is doing when talking to my ISP – no prizes for seeing who I use – 1&1 (United Internet) – Wireshark trace attached – KMail and 1&1 use either TLS v1.2 or, TLS v1.3 …
