ID Ideas: Adding New External Identifiers to ROR

Now that we’ve released v2 of the ROR schema, we have the power to add external identifiers to ROR records in the external_ids field without making a major schema change – and since we have the power, we want to use it! We’re therefore issuing a request for feedback on the requirements we should set for including additional external organizational identifiers in ROR records.

The four external identification schemes that are currently included in ROR are all global identifiers – they are unique identifiers that are used around the world. We have, however, received several requests to include regional and national identifiers in ROR records as well as other globally unique identifiers; one important aspect of the draft external identifier proposal is to establish the criteria that such “non-global” organizational identifiers should meet.

Note that we are asking chiefly for feedback on the characteristics that new organizational identifiers should have in order to be added to ROR, although we are also more than happy to accept suggestions of organizational identifier schemes to add to ROR. To suggest that ROR add a particular new organizational identifier that would be useful for you, submit an issue to the ROR roadmap and choose the issue template “Add External ID.”

To give feedback, please visit the proposal document and suggest changes to the text or add comments in the margin by August 16th, and do feel free to share the document with anyone you think might be interested. We’ll give a summary of the comments and a plan for moving ahead at the ROR Community Call in September.

We rely on the ROR community to keep us headed in the right direction – thanks in advance for contributing your time and expertise!