Since the ORCID program was launched in 2012, it has become an essential resource for academic publishing. With over 14 million registrations currently, ORCID has increased digital accessibility, enabling more streamlined management of scholarly communication across disciplines.
While you may be generally familiar with the term, you might still be wondering, “What is ORCID exactly?” This article will define and explain more about what the ORCID iD is and the benefits of registering. It will also provide a step-by-step guide to signing up and linking your OCRCID to your SciProfiles account.
What is ORCID?
The amount of academic research available online is tremendous. Especially with the mainstreaming of open access academic publishing, scholars need tools to help store and manage their own academic materials and to make them accessible to others.
The ORCID system is a centralized catalogue that allows readers to easily access research from throughout a scholar’s career. Essentially, it helps others to find your academic research and you to find theirs.
ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID, or ORCID iD) is a free, unique, persistent identifier that stores an individual’s academic outputs, all in one virtual location. The Open Researcher Contributor Identification Initiative was developed to ensure that credit for academic work is attributed properly.
In particular, the repetition of names in the academic community globally can make it very difficult to distinguish whose work is whose. In addition, any name changes during a person’s lifetime, which can happen for a lot of different reasons, can further the confusion.
Registering ensures that the same ORCID iD follows you, even if you change names, institutions, or geographic locations. This way, the system ensures that the right people are getting credit for their work. You don’t have to worry about trying to keep track of everything manually or about transferring over your information if you change affiliations.
Why should you use ORCID?
Now that we’ve answered the question of “What is ORCID?”, we will consider why you register for one and use it in your scholarly communications.
Given the acceleration of open science and open access publishing globally, academic research is more accessible to the public than ever. With increases in open access mandates from governments and publicly funded research institutes, more people than ever are engaging with scientific research. The ORCID system ensures that authors can be properly identified and their work attributed to them.
Once you register, you will receive an ORCID iD number that you can share with others. The ORCID system makes academic research more accessible and discoverable, which enhances potential reach and impact.
In addition to your digital name identifier, with your registration, you will also receive an electronic ORCID record. This is like an extended CV and includes, for example, a short biography, education and employment history, publications, professional activities and associations, and funding received. The record is a living document of your career that you update as you gain experience and achievements.
Using your ORCID account also reduces the labour of manually filling out forms and sharing data between different documents and datasets. It helps you to manage your work across different institutions, workflows, and online platforms.
Register with ORCID
If you are a scholar publishing in your field, you’ll know that getting your work out into the world is an exciting and challenging process.
Linking your research to your professional webpage and social networking sites is a simple way to ensure that your work is accessible.
It’s quick, easy, and free to register.
Link your ORCID iD to SciProfiles
Once you have registered, you can begin linking your ORCID to the different platforms you use.
To include ORCID on your SciProfiles page specifically, use the simple steps below:
- Log on to SciProfiles.
- Click on the small gear icon (⚙) at the top right corner of the screen.
- Choose “Edit My Profile” to go to your Basic Info page.
- Click “Verify ORCID”.
- Log in to your ORCID account and authorize MDPI to access it.
Your ORCID is now linked to your page, like a “one-stop shop” for your research materials. As you continue with your academic and publication journey on SciProfiles, this will make it easier for others to follow along and access your work. And, if others ever ask you, “What is ORCID?”, now you can share what you know.
Last updated on: July 25, 2026