Through ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor Identification Initiative) researchers can receive their free-of-charge personal ORCID iD. The ID system automatically compiles research papers from repositories and similar archives where the ID is used. Each person can enter their own unique ORCID iD, a 16-figure number in the form of a unique resources identifier (URI) free of charge at https://orcid.org. The role of ORCID iDs is to act as digital identifiers to differentiate individual researchers from each other, thereby ensuring that they receive recognition for their entire work. This occurs because ORCID iDs makes it easier to assign electronically the publications and other research activities and results to the researchers. This is not always possible on the basis of a person’s name alone because some people can have the same name, can change their name and because names can be written in different ways. The way the ORCID iDs work is explained in the video “A Quick Tour of the ORCID Record”.

Many publishers and conferences require an ORCID iD in order to submit or register publications. ORCID is also integrated in many other systems used by publishers, funding organisations, institutions and other research-related services. An ORCID iD

• differentiates you from other persons and ensures that your research results and activities are correctly attributed to you.
• links you reliably and simply with your articles and your institutional memberships.
• minimises the effort required in filling out forms: You enter the data once and reuse it frequently.
• improves the recognition and traceability of you and your research results.
• is interoperable: functions for many institutions, research organisations and publishers.
• is permanent: You can use it during your entire research career.

ORCID is a non-profit initiative for establishing and operating the global ORCID register.