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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- The University of South Carolina has set a record in raising research funding in the past year.

The State newspaper reported Wednesday that the school brought in almost $227 million, up nearly $9 million from the previous year.

USC President Harris Pastides says the funding helps the school and the state.

USC's research funding has more than doubled since 2002, when a new program was created to attract nationally known researchers to South Carolina's three research universities. Leaders at Clemson University and the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston also have said the program has allowed them to increase research funding.

MUSC says it raised $238 million, a $4 million increase over the previous year. Clemson has not yet released its figures for the past year.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)