Dundee and St Andrews universities have dismissed newspaper claims that they are planning to merge.
The two universities have recently agreed to set up a "preferred partnership" to discuss working together on current and new activities.
But in a joint statement, the universities said this is in line with the government and the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council urging all institutions to collaborate.
Glasgow and Strathclyde universities have also named one another as "preferred partners" in a new research alliance in 1998.