Starting 1 August 2023, ORCID will no longer receive updates to the RINGGOLD organization identifier database used by our Registry, nor will we be able to process or use RINGGOLD IDs created after that date.
The RINGGOLD organization list that is already used by the ORCID Registry will remain for the foreseeable future. However, as it will no longer be updated, the data will slowly become increasingly stale. As such we are taking a series of steps to (a) encourage and assist our members to adopt ROR IDs for organizations and (b) transition our existing organization metadata towards ROR where possible.
Why is ORCID discontinuing support for RINGGOLD?
RINGGOLD have opted to not renew their partnership agreement with ORCID that was first signed in 2013. As RINGGOLD is a proprietary identifier, this effectively discontinues the availability of updated RINGGOLD data in the ORCID registry, and as a result, the RINGGOLD data we hold will slowly become increasingly stale.
It is of the utmost importance to ORCID that we uphold the trustworthiness, integrity, and persistence of our Registry data. So with this change, we will continue the work we started in 2021 to adopt ROR as our core organization identifier. By partnering with community-led PID providers like ROR, we can ensure that the data in the ORCID Registry remains FAIR and open, able to be freely exchanged with other systems throughout the research ecosystem without restriction. This way, we can maximize the value of ORCID to the broad research community, honor our values of inclusivity, trust, and openness, and get closer to our vision of connecting researchers with their research, across disciplines, borders, and time.
I’m using RINGGOLD IDs; will my ORCID integration stop working?
No! Our APIs will continue to accept existing RINGGOLD IDs. However, if you are using RINGGOLD IDs in your integration, you should start planning to switch to ROR within the next 12 months. Note however that if your organization is assigned a new RINGGOLD ID after 1 August 2023, our APIs will not be able to accept it.
What do I need to do to transition to ROR?
If you are currently adding affiliations or funding items to records, you need to check the type of Organization ID you’re using. If it’s not a ROR ID, start planning to update your integration. Fortunately this is usually a simple configuration change and our Member Support Technical Staff will be able to advise you.
How much disruption to my service can I expect?
Very little. In the short term there are no actions for members to take.
How will this impact my ability to identify my researchers?
Though you can expect little impact in the short-term, ultimately when you transition to using ROR it will be easier to identify your researchers based on organization identifiers as you will only need to search for a single identifier. You will no longer have the additional burden of having to collate results across multiple identifier types.
Will my researchers be affected?
No. Our research shows that researchers care very little about the type of organization identifiers used in their ORCID metadata. They will continue to be able to select their organization using our organization type-ahead search feature when adding affiliations or other organization metadata to their records.
What will happen to all the RINGGOLD IDs already in the registry?
At some point over the next year we will update the existing affiliations and funding items that have been self-asserted by researchers to use ROR IDs where possible. Those that have been added by members via our API, or that we cannot match with ROR, will remain in the Registry for the foreseeable future.
Do I need to notify my service provider/vendor systems to make a change? / My service provider doesn’t support ROR, what do I do?
We are currently reaching out to all service providers that have an ORCID integration using Organization IDs to advise them of the change. We also encourage you to reach out to them directly if you have any questions or concerns about how this change affects your service.
About ROR
What is ROR?
Just as ORCID is a unique, persistent identifier for people involved in research, ROR (which stands for Research Organization Registry) is a unique, persistent identifier for organizations involved in research. Also like ORCID, ROR is community-governed and its data is openly available under a CC0 waiver. The ROR registry data is available via REST API and a public data dump. In fact, ORCID is a founding supporter of ROR. Read more about ROR, in their own words, here.
How can I find out my organization’s ROR ID?
You can search the ROR registry here.
What if my organization doesn’t have a ROR ID or the ROR information is incorrect?
ROR’s scope is defined as “any organization that conducts, produces, manages, or touches research.” If your organization doesn’t currently have a ROR ID, or if existing ROR metadata needs to be corrected, you can request an addition or update to the registry using this form.
How can I get help with a ROR integration?
ROR support documentation is available at https://ror.readme.io. You can also join the ror-tech discussion forum to post questions and ask for advice. For additional support, contact ROR.