State Universities Retirement System of Illinois is planning to focus on non-core real estate as it invests $300m (€232m) over three years.

The pension fund has approved an investment plan for 2015 to 2017 and will begin a search for fund managers at the end of the month, according to CIO Daniel Allen.

He said Illinois State Universities would most likely allocate $100m to two managers with a view to investing on a global basis.

Finalists will be brought before the pension fund for approval in March 2015.

β€œWe are pretty well set with the amount of capital we have already invested in core,” Allen said. β€œThere also is the belief that there are more good investment opportunities in the non-core sector.”

The pension fund has a 10% target real estate allocation but had an 8% exposure at the end of June.

The majority of this shortfall is to be made up in its 6% private real estate allocation. Its 4% REIT allocation is close to being fully invested.

Illinois State Universities is being advised by consultancy NEPC.