A competition will be held to design a crest and flag for Russia's most prestigious seat of learning, Moscow State University, and to write a university song to revive a tsarist era tradition ahead of the institution's 240th anniversary next year.


Yury Zinchenko, a spokesman for the university students' committee said by telephone that the decision was "a throwback to old university traditions" and a final step toward returning to the full traditional autonomy the university had enjoyed before the revolution.


"The history of the university goes back to the 18th century," he said. "It is time to restore old traditions."


Zinchenko said the move would also mark the university's new-found independence, following a decision two years ago to allow the university its own budget from the Education Ministry and the right to set its own courses.


"Besides, most prestigious universities in the world have their traditional emblems and this enhances their standing," he added.


According to Zinchenko, Moscow University used to have an emblem and song in tsarist days, but these were banned after the 1917 revolution.


"Of course, times have changed and we can't copy the old emblem and song but their idea and spirit will be preserved. This is one of the requirements for the competition," he said.


The competition will be open and entries will be judged on Jan. 25, 1995, the date of the anniversary. The winner in each category -- crest, flag, lyrics, music -- will get a prize of 1 million rubles ($356).