Mapping current PID-related activities in the EOSC context (A landscape analysis of PID activities)

Relevance

This report is crucial to understand and enhance the EOSC PID infrastructure, offering a comprehensive inventory of PID-related activities and projects, as well as a list of existing PID types. This helps streamline the integration and use of PIDs within the European research community, promoting better data management and interoperability.

Scope

The deliverable aims to provide a detailed landscape analysis of current PID-related activities within the EOSC context. It targets researchers, data managers, and policymakers involved in the EOSC ecosystem, providing them with a structured inventory to support their use of PIDs.

Main highlights

The EOSC-A PID Policy and Implementation Task Force report outlines an extensive inventory of PID types and related projects. The Task Force established a focus group in early 2022 to gather detailed information on PID activities relevant to the EOSC. The methodology involved reviewing and classifying PID types and collecting information on PID-related projects, infrastructures, and service providers. Key highlights include:

• Inventory of PID types: A comprehensive list of PID types, categorised by their maturity, global resolvability, and relevance to specific object types. This includes well-known PIDs like DOI, ORCID, Handle, and emerging ones like RAiD or PIDINST.
• PID-related projects and activities: Making a list of various projects as well as infrastructures that use or provide PIDs, such as FAIR-IMPACT or ePIC. These activities are evaluated for their contributions to the EOSC ecosystem and their potential for further integration.
• Recommendations for future work: Emphasis on the need for ongoing updates to the inventory to keep pace with technological advancements and evolving PID use cases

Key recommendations

The task force’s recommendations focus on improving the PID landscape within the EOSC framework:

• Continuous feedback and updates: Regularly update the inventory to reflect new developments in PID technologies and practices.
• Standardisation and Interoperability: Promote the use of standardised, globally resolvable PIDs in EOSC and ensure interoperability across different systems and domains.
• Support for emerging PIDs: Encourage the development and adoption of PIDs for less mature areas such as (research) instruments and research activities.
• Community awareness and engagement: Increase efforts to raise awareness about the importance and benefits of PIDs, ensuring broader adoption across various research communities.
• Collaboration with related projects: Engage with initiatives (like FAIRCORE4EOSC,FAIR-IMPACT, etc) to leverage synergies and enhance PID services’ sustainability and usability.
• Development of metrics: Establish metrics to evaluate PID services based on their adoption, ease of use, and interoperability. These metrics should guide improvements and demonstrate the impact of PIDs in the research ecosystem.