Perth and Kinross Council's leader will seek to meet with University of Highlands and Islands principal Vicki Nairn regarding the loss of up to 50 jobs at UHI Perth.
The move was unanimously agreed by all 40 Perth and Kinross councillors at a meeting on Wednesday, June 28.
Tabling the motion for approval Conservative group leader John Duff called the potential job losses and course cuts "disastrous" for UHI Perth, the City of Perth and its people.
The Highland Perthshire councillor's original motion called for SNP council leader Grant Laing and PKC's chief executive to meet with the cabinet secretary for Education and Skills "to call for additional funding for UHI Perth to prevent these job losses and course cuts".
However there was a lengthy debate and recess over how competent this was.
Following an earlier agreement that it was "not right and proper" for the chief executive to be involved in political meetings this request was removed from the motion.
The SNP group also argued the Minister for Higher and Further Education Graeme Dey would be more appropriate than the cabinet secretary for education. And the SNP's deputy leader also suggested the meeting should be with the UHI principal in any case.
Cllr Eric Drysdale said: "It is UHI that decides the level of funding that it allocates to Perth UHI."
Tabling the motion Cllr Duff said: "Along with Bailie Ahern, I recently met with the Principal of the University of the Highlands and Islands Perth to hear about the financial challenges which the university is experiencing. UHI Perth, in common with all of the sector, has received a flat cash settlement from the Scottish Government for 2023/24 and is also having to make a 10 per cent cut to their credit targets.
"The flat cash settlement comes at a time when costs have significantly increased and has resulted in the need for our University to make £3 million savings to make ends meet. These cuts will potentially result in the loss of 50 jobs across all levels of staffing at the University. Fifty job losses which this city can ill afford.
"The £3 million cuts, the job losses and the reduction in students is therefore disastrous for UHI Perth, for the City of Perth and for our people young and old and this council should support UHI Perth in its call for a better deal."
Following a recess to discuss the terms of the Conservative motion, the SNP Perth City Centre councillor Eric Drysdale said: "It remains my view that the most appropriate course of action here should be to request to meet - at least initially - with the principal of the University of the Highlands and Islands. And then - and only if deemed necessary - thereafter to then potentially seek to speak to the correct minister responsible for this area, that is the minister for Further and Higher Education."
Council leader Grant Laing said the initial meeting with the UHI principal would allow him to "gather more information before going into a meeting with the minister".
Conservative councillor Caroline Shiers - who seconded the motion - suggested a cross-party meeting take place with the principal and expressed surprise there had not already been one.
She said: "I'm kind of surprised that meeting hasn't already taken place with the college authorities given the scale of this and the impact on education across Perth and Kinross."
This was agreed by the council and PKC's Families and Learning Committee convener SNP councillor John Rebbeck said the revised motion was a "pragmatic and sensible solution".
Liberal Democrat Perth City Centre councillor Peter Barrett supported the motion but suggested the "focus should have been on the bigger picture rather than quibbling over which minister we spoke to" which he said was "not conducting politics in a very edifying fashion".
Labour councillor Brian Leishman said: "Further education is vital for those that experience barriers to education and it must be invested in, not decimated by reductions and cuts."
The Perth City North councillor added: "At least the Tories are up front about the savage cuts they make in the name of austerity. The SNP are in denial, they try to blame somewhere else and kid everyone on that they are stronger for Scotland."
Highland Perthshire councillor John Duff concluded: " UHI Perth is an important institution in the fabric of our society and a thriving university is vital for the City of Perth. The loss of 50 jobs, as well as the loss of courses and students is a major blow for Perth and something which we must make every effort to rectify if we are serious about tackling poverty, promoting lifelong learning and enabling our young people to achieve their full potential."
The revised motion was unanimously agreed.
