Carlos Llano Cifuentes, a Mexican philosopher who had ties with Opus Dei, is often named the 'father of the university' because of his longstanding involvement in the conception of the institute.

For several years, the university has offered several exchange agreements with the following universities (among others): Some notable alumni from UP in politics include Enrique Peña Nieto (L.L.B., '91), who was the 57th President of Mexico (2012–2018); Governors Miguel Alejandro Alonso Reyes (L.L.B., '98 & M.P.P., 2022) of Zacatecas (2010–2016) and Martín Orozco Sandoval (B.A., '89) of Aguascalientes (2016–2022); Senator Kenia López Rabadán (M.P.P., 2012) of the National Action Party (2018–); Jesús Pablo Lemus Navarro (M.A., 2012), Mayor of Guadalajara (2021–) and César Nava Vázquez (L.L.B., '97), wgo was President of the National Action Party (2009–2010), Representative for Mexico City (2009–2012) as well as Personal Secretary to President Felipe Calderón (2006–2008).

UP has produced several notable businessmen and businesswomen, including Marcos Martínez Gavica (MBA, '95), the incumbent chairman of the Mexican Stock Exchange since 2020, CEO of Santander Mexico (2016–2020) and chairman of the Mexican Association of Banks (2005–2007 & 2017–2019); Juan Ignacio Gallardo Thurlow (MBA, '85), who has a net worth of around $1.3B,[7] a member of the board of directors of Santander, Bombardier, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, Rabobank and former CEO of Cultiba, a Mexican leading holding company whose operations engage in the production and distribution of cane sugar, molasses and soft drinks.

Some of the Honoris Causa degrees awarded by the UP include: Mexican journalist Carmen Aristegui published a series of reports on alleged plagiarism found in the thesis entitled "The Mexican presidentialism and Alvaro Obregon" from the current President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto, to obtain a degree in law at Panamerican University.

[8] The university informed their community that a group of "distinguished members" would make an analysis of this thesis and issued an institutional statement dated August 28 informing that the graduating procedure of Enrique Peña Nieto complied with the requirements back in the year 1991 and the thesis of his own presents both original ideas and ideas from other authors treated in five different ways:[9] In the same statement the law faculty reports that proceeded to search rules that allow a proper response to a discovery of this nature and concluded that:[10]