Miss Piggy in Hi-Ya education?

Kermit the Frog was roped in to sex up last week's conference about "planning tomorrow's higher education learning environments".

Academics and senior administrators looked bemused when pictures of the Muppet striking various poses were used to illustrate a slide show by one of the guest speakers, David Cain of Northern Arizona University.

As higher education in the UK follows the example of the US in all things, could this signal the start of a new trend? Could Miss Piggy become the pin-up for widening participation, or will Dr Bunsen and Beaker explain the implications of the science review?