In 2001, around 1,200 of 6,700 providers in the Australian public vocational education and training (VET) system delivered adult and community education (ACE) programs, which attracted 497,500 people. ACE programs accounted for 20.7 million hours of training and 972,500 subject enrolments. Vocational ACE programs accounted for 238,700 students, and non-vocational programs for 279,200. Women represented 70 percent of all ACE students, while in VET women represented less than half of all students. The proportion of females was especially large in non-vocational ACE programs, where they made up 74 percent. Over 76 percent of all ACE students were 25 years of age or older. Almost 70 percent of all ACE students resided in a capital city or other metropolitan area, which is slightly lower than the 72 percent of all Australian population living in these areas. Only 3 percent of ACE students, compared to 11 percent of VET students, undertook training while still attending secondary school. Over 30 percent of all annual hours undertaken by ACE students were associated with subject-only enrolments (i.e. no course). Almost 63 percent of ACE enrolments were in subjects that are not assessed. (YLB)