Towards a national PID roadmap

Two complementary movements have energized the need for improved information about research: Open Science and Responsible Management of Research Information. In this context, Persistent Identifiers (PIDs) play an important role. PIDs are also an essential part of the FAIR data principles. With the help of PIDs, digital objects can be identified and reused in a more persistent and less ambiguous way. 

International adoption of PIDs such as ORCID for researchers and RoR for organisations, coincides with key developments in The Netherlands. A sample of Dutch initiatives that could benefit from coordinated use of PIDs include open access, open data, data management plans, and responsible research assessment, as well as the possibility of a national Open Knowledge Base. PIDs provide additional structure to research information (metadata) while also enabling durable links between research objects, institutions, funding awards, and researchers. 

Development of the present document

To address the possibility of employing PIDs in a coordinated way, and to find alignment between present and future initiatives, the PID advisory board (NWO, DANS-KNAW, UKB, SURF and CWTS-Leiden University) requested the development of a national PID roadmap. This request led to the installment of a working group with representatives of eScience Center, Utrecht University, Leiden University, 4TU, KB, DANS-KNAW, Saxion and SURF. Their work resulted in the present document, which provides a first step for engaging the broader community on the content and potential of a national PID roadmap.

This document is a project deliverable. More information about the project: National Roadmap for Persistent Identifiers | SURF.nl