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Two major groups of theories - the existential norm theory and the ontological theory - are often employed in research studies in lifelong learning. Existential norm theory emphasizes policy formulation while ontological theory focuses more on the role of the learner. Regardless of which theory a survey is based upon, empirical evidence is indeed crucial. To date, surveys based on empirical evidence are rare in quantity. The objective of this study was to conduct a large-scale survey of local citizens to obtain their general opinions on the demand for continuing education. The survey was conducted between March and May in 2008 through stratified random telephone interviews, and 1,506 Hong Kong citizens aged between 18 and 64 were successfully interviewed. This paper summarizes the survey findings in five major aspects: (1) participation rate of continuing education and projected participation rate in the next 12 months; (2) most preferred subject areas and the learners'learning motives; (3) channels and/or media through which course/programme information was obtained; (4) hindrances to learning and the reasons behind them; and (5) attitude towards online learning and reasons for choosing (or not choosing) the online learning mode. The authors hope that the findings help the Government, in some way or other, to formulate education policies, and also assist education providers in planning the offering of courses/programmes. It is hoped that this kind of survey will promote empirical studies in the field of continuing education and lifelong learning, and can be used as references for the continuing education sector.