Persistent Identifiers (PIDs)¶
Overview
This is the Persistent Identifiers page, part of Essentials in the A-LIFE RDM GEMs collection.
This page introduces Persistent Identifiers (PIDs) used in research — what they are, why they matter, and how to use them as an A-LIFE researcher.
- What are PIDs?
- DOI — Digital Object Identifier
- ORCID — Researcher Identifier
- ROR — Research Organisation Identifier
Authors: Irene Martorelli, Brett Olivier — Last modification: 2026-08-02 — Version: 0.1.1
What are PIDs?¶
A Persistent Identifier (PID) is a long-lasting reference to a digital resource — such as a dataset, a researcher, or an organisation. Unlike regular URLs, PIDs are designed to remain stable even if the underlying resource moves or changes location.
PIDs play a central role in making research Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable — the FAIR principles. They help connect research outputs, researchers, and organisations in a reliable and unambiguous way.
Why use PIDs?
- Ensure your work remains findable and citable over time
- Prevent ambiguity — uniquely identify people, organisations, and outputs
- Enable cross-platform connections between datasets, publications, and researchers
- Save time — enter your information once and reuse it across platforms
Essential PIDs for A-LIFE Researchers¶
| PID | Identifies | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| DOI | A digital object (dataset, publication) | Citing and finding research outputs |
| ORCID | A researcher | Connecting research outputs to their author |
| ROR | A research organisation | Linking datasets and publications to an institution |
DOI — Digital Object Identifier¶
A DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is a persistent link assigned to a digital resource — most commonly a publication or dataset — that remains stable regardless of where the resource is hosted.
When you publish your dataset through an archiving platform, a DOI is automatically assigned to your data package. The DOI provides a permanent landing page containing your dataset's metadata and access information.
Platforms that assign DOIs to research data at VU:
- Yoda — DOI is assigned when a data package is approved for publication in the Vault
- Zenodo — DOI is assigned upon uploading and publishing a dataset
VU Yoda published datasets
Browse datasets published through VU Yoda via DataCite Commons.
What is DataCite?
DataCite is the organisation that registers DOIs for research data. When your dataset is published in Yoda or Zenodo, its metadata is registered with DataCite and becomes searchable in their catalogue.
ORCID — Researcher Identifier¶
ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) is a free, persistent identifier for researchers. It provides a unique ID that distinguishes you from other researchers — even those with the same name — and connects your research outputs, affiliations, and funding records across platforms.
Recommendation for A-LIFE researchers
It is highly recommended to create and maintain an ORCID. It is free, takes minutes to set up, and makes your research more visible and your contributions more accurately credited.
Why ORCID matters:
- Prevents name ambiguity — your ORCID is unique to you, regardless of name changes or common names
- Enhances discoverability — your publications, datasets, and affiliations are linked under a single record
- Saves time — enter your information once and reuse it across funding applications, journal submissions, and platforms
- Connects your work — ORCID integrates with many platforms used in research
Where ORCID is used at A-LIFE:
| Tool | How ORCID is used | Related document |
|---|---|---|
| Yoda | Recommended as Person Identifier for Creators and Contributors in the Yoda Metadata Form | Metadata and Documenting Data in Yoda, Best Practices — Completing the Yoda Metadata Form, Essentials — README |
| Zenodo | Can be linked to your Zenodo account for automatic author recognition | Metadata and Documenting Data in Zenodo, Best Practices — Completing the Zenodo Metadata Form, Essentials — README |
| GitHub | Can be added to your profile and CITATION.cff files to credit contributors | — |
| Pure (VU) | Used to connect your VU research output record to your ORCID | — |
| Funding applications | Many funders (e.g. NWO, ERC) require or recommend ORCID | — |
Adding ORCID to your Yoda metadata
When completing the Yoda Metadata Form, you can add your ORCID as a Person Identifier for each Creator and Contributor. Make sure to use the full HTTPS URL format: https://orcid.org/0000-0000-0000-0000. See Best Practices — Completing the Yoda Metadata Form for details.
ROR — Research Organisation Identifier¶
ROR (Research Organization Registry) is a global, community-led registry of persistent identifiers for research organisations. It provides a unique ID for each institution, enabling accurate and unambiguous affiliation metadata across platforms and publications.
ROR is increasingly used in metadata forms, funding systems, and publishing workflows to standardise how organisations are identified and linked.
VU Amsterdam ROR:
VU Amsterdam — ROR Identifier
The official ROR for Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is:
https://ror.org/008xxew50 — Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Use this identifier when selecting your affiliation in the Yoda Metadata Form, Zenodo, or any other platform that requests a ROR. Follow the supportive document: Best Practices — Completing the Yoda Metadata Form.
A-LIFE is not yet listed in ROR
As of the last record update (2025-05-20), A-LIFE (Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment) does not yet have its own entry in the ROR registry. When asked for your affiliation ROR, use the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam ROR identifier above.
If you would like A-LIFE to be added to ROR, organisations can be suggested via the ROR request process.