The Royal Scottish Geographical Society is very disappointed to hear that the University of Strathclyde intends to press ahead with its proposals to axe its geography programme.

We are also saddened that the university declined our invitation to discuss the alternative ways of developing geography before reaching such a decision.

This is a remarkable decision given the vibrancy of a subject area which sits uniquely at the junction of the environmental, social and physical sciences, linking people and societies with places and the planet, together with increasing technological relevance through sat-nav, GPS, mapping and remote sensing.

We feel that this decision is most certainly not in the Scottish national interest.

J Barrie Brown, chairman, Royal Scottish Geographical Society, Perth.