THE Queensland University of Technology has been embroiled in a political controversy after a lecturer set her marketing students an assignment to develop a campaign to increase awareness of LNP candidate for Griffith Bill Glasson.

Kevin Rudd took to Twitter to respond to the university assignment furore, tweeting, "The Liberal National Party dirty tricks department already hard at work”.

The Courier-Mail is seeking further comment from Mr Rudd.

Business school lecturer Louise Kelly invited Dr Glasson, whom she described as a friend, to address her students about his intentions and LNP policy.

Dr Glasson was accompanied by his campaign manager and social media manager at the lecture, and provided students with pamphlets promoting his candidacy and the LNP.

One student who did not want to be named, said they were told the "best'' assignments could be used by the LNP to assist in their campaign in Griffith - held by Labor's Kevin Rudd.

"We were told stuff like 'the ALP leaderships doesn't connect with young voters','' he said.

"It seemed really political rather than an exercise in business advertising."

Dr Glasson said it was his understanding the lecture was "purely academic'' and in no way an extension of his election campaign.

"Basically the lecturer contacted me because she wanted to give her students a real life experience as a marketing exercise, so I went down there yesterday,'' he said.

"I had my young fellow who does most of my social media there. He explained what we do, and how 18 to 25-year-olds are not being engaged politically. A lot of the discussion was about what turns you guys on.

"Obviously they have no interest in politics, and are disenfranchised by the goings on in Federal Parliament.''

He was unsure if he would see any of the student's work unless it was made accessible on the internet.

But the student said the lecturer initially told them the assignments would be handed over to the LNP unless they "opted out".

"Today that's changed to an 'opt in' approach,'' he said.

QUT Business School Executive Dean Robina Xavier said the assignment was an exercise in "channel planning not in politics'' and would not involve the development of creative content.

"As is always the case with this type of coursework, the best assignments are offered to the 'client' but only with the approval of the students concerned,'' said Professor Xavier.