Harvard raked in more than $450 million in donations last year, about 32 percent more than any other American institution of higher learning, the University confirmed yesterday.

Still, according to a report released by the New York-based Council for Aid Education, Harvard made $11 million more in donations during 1998.

But the University is not concerned.

"This isn't a competition with other schools for fundraising," said Andrew K. Tiedemann, a spokesperson for the University Development Office. "We are very focused on the University's programs and trying to attracts gifts from alumni and friends...Where we fall in some rankings isn't something we really pay any attention to."

Tiedemann said the long-term trend for Harvard has been increased support. In 1992-93, Harvard received about $228 million, he said. The fact that the number has more that doubled since then is largely a result of the University's recently concluded six-year Capital Campaign, he added.

"It's interesting and important for the University to see where the numbers go in the next three to four years, when we are out of the campaign," Tiedemann said.

Cornell, which received about $340 million in 1999, placed second to Harvard, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported.

Duke, Stanford and Columbia universities rounded out the top five. Stanford tumbled from second to fourth; Princeton fell from eighth to 20th. Yale was nudged from seventh to eighth, with nearly $225 million.