Ministerial doubts

Nicol Stephen, Scotland's deputy minister for enterprise and lifelong learning, is obviously sceptical about collaboration between universities.

Sir Alan Langlands, principal of Dundee University, and Bernard King, principal of the University of Abertay, Dundee, were both at a Graduates for Growth employment seminar recently.

Sir Alan, claiming a united interest from the two institutions, said: "I'm sitting here with the principal of the other university in Dundee."

"You can't even bring yourself to mention its name," taunted Mr Stephen.