Dr Tin Ka-ping is a well-known industrialist and an outstanding philanthropist in Hong Kong. He established the K.P. Tin Foundation in 1982 to support the elderly and the young, as well as to promote education and culture. Dr Tin has a thorough understanding of the importance of quality teachers to education and has supported 46 teacher training centres throughout the Mainland. He has been equally generous in supporting tertiary education. A total of 52 universities and higher education institutions have benefited from his munificence.

Dr Tin firmly believes in the importance of teacher quality in assuring success in education. He recognises that effective teacher education is equally as important as the building of schools. He therefore determined very early on to give financial support to teacher education. He has supported the Institute with great enthusiasm, offering scholarships and setting up a development fund, and has benefited thousands of student teachers. His support has come as a great encouragement. As he said in his acceptance speech, though HKIEd is the youngest tertiary institution in Hong Kong, the Institute's mission as a base for early childhood, primary and secondary teacher education in Hong Kong is of prime importance.