The Saints Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje (Macedonian: Универзитет „Св. Кирил и Методиј“ - Скопје) is the largest university in the Republic of Macedonia. It was named after the medieval brothers Cyril and Methodius, also known as the Apostles to the Slavs, enlighteners who developed the precursors to the Cyrillic alphabet used today in most Slavic languages. More than 50,000 students study at the Skopje University, including some 700 foreign students. Furthermore, the Teaching and Research Staff number 2,390 people, and this is further supported by over 300 members in the university's various institutions. The primary language of instruction is Macedonian, but there are a number of courses which are carried out in English, German, French, and minority languages. The University is divided into 25 faculties and 10 research institutes: During the third session of the of the Presidium of the Antifascist Council of the National Liberation of Macedonia, held in 1944, one of the items on the agenda was the question of opening a Macedonian university. At the beginning of 1945, the concept of a university began to be realized.