The Chinese Government has co-funded at least four courses at the University of Queensland (UQ), including one on China's role in "strengthening" responses to "global security challenges", such as human rights, "mass atrocities prevention" and "counter-terrorism".

Key points: UQ Confucius Institute co-funded four university courses including 'China in a Changing World' and 'Understanding China'

UQ Confucius Institute co-funded four university courses including 'China in a Changing World' and 'Understanding China' The UQ senate decided to end Confucius Institute funding of courses in May

The UQ senate decided to end Confucius Institute funding of courses in May There are calls for a review into UQ's lucrative arrangements with the Chinese Government including its Confucius Institute

UQ's courses in Chinese policy, music and language were developed in partnership with its Confucius Institute, one of 13 such Chinese Government-funded soft power centres in Australia, which run language and culture classes in universities and schools and have been accused of being vehicles for Chinese propaganda.

The revelations come as UQ faces calls to review its lucrative deals with the Chinese Government, after a Four Corners — Background Briefing investigation last night revealed its Confucius Institute had veered into curriculum development and honorary staff appointments.

The university's vice-chancellor, Professor Peter Høj, was until recently a senior consultant to Beijing's global Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) and a member of its powerful governing council, which is responsible for more than 500 institutes operating in universities and schools across the world.

Four Corners has learned that the UQ Confucius Institute co-funded credit-bearing university courses including one in the Graduate Centre in Governance and International Affairs, called "China in a Changing World", which was offered as recently as 2016.

The official course description says it "aims to provide students with a deeper understanding of China's global engagement in a changing world" and "critically examine China's international policies and diplomacy".

"As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and major world economy with extensive overseas development projects, China is an integral player in global efforts to address some of the most pressing security challenges in the world today," it says.

"[The course] will ... examine the impact of China on broader efforts to strengthen institutional and collective response to new security challenges."

The UQ Confucius Institute also contributed funding to courses in translation and interpreting, music, and one in Chinese policy called "Understanding China", which was developed in partnership with the School of Economics.

Four Corners revealed last night the "Understanding China" course was designed by a UQ economics lecturer who had recently received an "Understanding China" fellowship from the Chinese Government body called Hanban, which runs the institutes internationally.

Professor Peter Hoj said it was "totally appropriate" to have courses concerning China. ( Supplied: University of Queensland )

Four Corners has learned that the UQ Senate decided in May that Confucius Institute funding of university courses should cease.

A UQ spokeswoman said: "The Confucius Institute and its academics have not been involved in the design or management of these courses".

Professor Høj told last night's Four Corners, "having courses concerning China is totally appropriate".

"It's very appropriate for universities such as ours to educate our students about Chinese politics, Chinese economics because we live in a region where China will be the largest economy in the world very soon, the largest trading partner for Australia," he said.

"Is it appropriate that a Confucius Institute devises courses? No, it's not, but they don't. They're not involved in the design of the course. They're not involved in the delivery."

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UQ Confucius director nominated Consul-General for controversial role

Four Corners also revealed last night that the director of UQ's Confucius Institute personally nominated China's Consul-General in Brisbane, Xu Jie, as an adjunct professor — the fifth such appointment of a Chinese diplomat at the university.

Shortly after his appointment in July, Dr Xu Jie was criticised by Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne for praising the "spontaneous patriotic behaviour" of Chinese students, some of whom clashed violently with anti-Beijing protesters.

Dr Xu remains an adjunct professor at the university.

Professor Høj appointed China's consul general Xu Jie as an adjunct professor in languages and culture at UQ in July. ( Supplied )

From 2013, vice-chancellor Professor Høj was an unpaid senior consultant to Hanban and in 2017, he was appointed a member of the governing Council of Confucius Institute Headquarters.

Professor Høj stood down from Hanban after receiving legal advice late last year he would be required to sign up to Australia's new Foreign Interference Transparency Scheme.

Senior security adviser to the Federal Government, Ross Babbage, told Four Corners a complete review was needed at UQ in response to revelations of its involvement in funding the "Understanding China" course.

"I think that course needs to be reviewed independently — where the materials have come from, what the content is, what's there and what isn't there, and whether it's appropriate," he said.

"Also, there's a need for the University of Queensland and other Australian universities to exert more control over who's allowed on campus to participate in a range of activities [including] the local consulate in Brisbane.

"There needs to be a better way of controlling access to those people."

Author and academic Professor Clive Hamilton, who has spent years researching Chinese Communist Party interference at Australian universities, echoed Mr Babbage's concerns.

"Why would we permit a foreign authoritarian government through a Confucius Institute to play a role in determining the curriculum to be taught on an Australian campus? I find that bizarre," he said.

The UQ Confucius Institute's agreement with the university gives Hanban authority over teaching standards, but that agreement is currently under review.

The NSW Education Department recently decided to shut down its Confucius Institute, concluding there was a risk of a perception of foreign influence on department staff.

When asked on Four Corners whether he was confident the Chinese Communist Party had not tried to influence him during his five years in unpaid roles with the headquarters, Professor Høj said: "I'm very confident that I haven't been influenced."