Universities should get more involved in the life of their regions, or so the Government seems to think.
But rather than summon vice-chancellors to Whitehall for a lecture - or a ticking-off - the chairmen of England's regional development agencies were dragged in for a meeting with Ruth Kelly, the Education Secretary. Officials were braced for a playschool-style bout of "But, Miss, we can't play with them if they won't play with us..."