The mass immigration from the former Soviet Union in the early 1990s increased the number of students at the Technion from 9,000 to 10,500 per year. To meet the growing demand for highly trained engineers and scientists, the Technion committed to increasing the student body to 15,000 by 2004. Interdisciplinary centers of excellence were established, ties with industry were strengthened, and new academic programs were developed. Additionally, a major expansion plan was initiated, including the construction of the Henry and Marilyn Taub Center for Science and Technology, which houses the Faculty of Computer Science—the largest of its kind in the Western world. The Technion welcomed many new immigrants as students and academic and administrative staff, and the impact on research is still evident today.