LEXINGTON, Ky. — Belcan, a Cognizant company and global engineering services firm founded by a University of Kentucky alumnus, has been named the newest partner in OneUK, the university's strategic collaboration program designed to deepen relationships between UK and leading businesses across the Commonwealth.

Belcan, founded in 1958 by Ralph G. Anderson, a graduate of the UK Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, has grown into a global firm with deep roots in Kentucky. The company established operations in Lexington in 2005 and has since expanded its presence in Central Kentucky's aerospace and defense sector, employing hundreds of highly skilled engineers. Anderson's legacy continues at UK through the Ralph G. Anderson Building, which houses the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

OneUK provides long-term, coordinated engagement experiences between the university and select businesses through shared commitments to develop talent, advance innovation and strengthen Kentucky's economy. The program aims to foster collaborations across all UK colleges, centers and institutes through custom engagement plans that include shared goals, projects and success metrics.

"As a company founded by a proud University of Kentucky engineering graduate, Belcan is pleased to enhance its long-standing relationship with UK through the OneUK partnership," said Saurabh Mehta, business unit head of Belcan. The company currently has more than 7,000 employees across more than 30 locations worldwide, providing solutions in defense, aerospace, commercial vehicles and industrial applications.

Belcan's Kentucky presence is closely tied to supporting the engineering talent ecosystem, serving as an employer of UK graduates and a participant in university-led initiatives such as SpaceLex, UK's rocketry and propulsion team. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to connecting academic training with real-world engineering careers.

Belcan joins eight other OneUK partners, including Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Bullard, Catalent, Fidelity Investments, Fischer Homes, Turner Construction, Lockheed Martin and Valvoline Global. Since OneUK's launch, these strategic collaborators have sponsored university events including DanceBlue, hosted Career Builder Days on campus and sponsored faculty and student research initiatives.