The origin of Unimep is linked to Piracicabano College, founded in 1881 by American missionary Martha Watts. Quality, pioneering and the gap in education gave rise in 1964 to the first upper-level courses: economics, management and accounting, initially assembled as Integrated College. This expansion resulted in the recognition of Unimep by the Ministry of Education, as the first Methodist university in Latin America in 1975. Currently, Unimep offers more than 40 undergraduate programs (bachelor, graduate and technologists) in addition to post-graduate (specialization, master and doctorate) grouped into eight faculties. The institution, which began operations with just one student, has approximately 11,000 students on its four campuses: Taquaral and Center, both located in Piracicaba, Santa Barbara d'Oeste and Lins. The Unimep galgadas also has its roots in tradition. She was born the seed planted by the precursor educational leader of the Methodist movement, John Wesley (1703-1791), who founded in 1748 in England, the first Methodist school: Kingswood School. Since then, schools, colleges and universities have multiplied the world. With the creation of the Methodist Education Network, which is linked to Unimep integrates a universe of more than 700 Methodist institutions in 67 countries.