York St John University has trained military officers associated with oppressive regimes, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act.

High-ranking soldiers from countries including Libya, Sudan, China and Uzbekistan have attended courses at the university.

The officers studied courses in military English and aviation English – courses in specialist military language training.

The courses are run with the support and sometimes financial backing of the Ministry of Defence. Barnaby Pace, a member of the Campaign Against Arms Trade’s steering committee which applied for the documents, said the list of countries allowed to train their servicemen by the university was disturbing.

He said: “The military forces of these regimes are used to keep the ruling elite in power and to repress the population. Universities in a country like the UK, which likes to think of itself as a bastion of democracy, should not be supporting them through military training.”

The FOI documents revealed that around 500 foreign military officers were trained at the university between 2005 and April this year.

Six Chinese officers, including four colonels, took part in a six-week international strategic studies course.

Two Sudanese brigadier generals trained on the same military English course at York St John and a captain and two lieutenants from Uzbekistan received MOD sponsorship to train at the University between April and June 2005.

A Libyan lieutenant was trained at the university for three months in 2006.

However, a York St John University spokesperson said the courses were run for peaceful means.

The spokesman said: “The university holds contracts with the British MOD and RAF to support their English language training for international relations work. The primary purpose of the courses we offer is to support international communications and conflict resolution, with a focus on peace-support and other multi-national operations for example humanitarian and disaster relief.”