The Adult and Continuing Education: Noncredit Activities in Institutions of Higher Education machine-readable data file (MRDF) is a periodically obtained subfile of the larger Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS). Its purpose is to obtain a measure of the extent to which individuals beyond compulsory school age (but that are not full-time students) are engaged in noncredit, but organized instructional activities. The sample used, of nearly 500 institutions out of a universe of over 3,000, provides the basis for a national estimate of registrations in noncredit activities by subject area and occupational specialty. The institutions were selected in accordance with a sampling plan and were surveyed on a system-wide basis. Included were single-campus schools, independent members of institutional systems, and main and branch campuses of multicampus institutions. This survey included noncredit activities conducted by undergraduate, graduate, professional, and general studies schools; religious institutes; conference bureaus, and others, in addition to those conducted by extension and continuing education divisions. Excluded were those activities offered by the Cooperative Extension Service of land-grant college (which are reported directly to the U.S. Department of Agriculture). The file identifies and locates the administrative units and the academic departments sponsoring such courses. The number of registrations for up to 45 broad fields of instruction and seven occupational specialties are provided for each institution. Statistics are provided on: administrative control programs; awarding continuing education units (CEU); student services; special courses for adult basic education and General Education Development (GED) classes; special fee provisions for elderly and low income persons; external sponsors for courses. Percentages are calculated for funding sources, course sources, and types of class materials. POPULATION: Higher Education Institutions (>3,000). TYPE OF SURVEY: National Survey; Sample Survey. RESPONDENTS: Survey Coordinators for Institutions of Higher Education. SAMPLE: Higher Education Institutions (<500). FREQUENCY: Periodic. YEAR OF FIRST DATA: 1967. (CDM)