MDOI
Handbook

The Metascholar Digital Object Identifier (MDOI) is a persistent identification system designed to uniquely identify and reliably resolve digital objects such as scholarly publications, datasets, theses, reports, and institutional records.

Unlike conventional URLs, which may change or become obsolete over time, MDOIs provide a stable and enduring reference that remains valid regardless of changes in location, ownership, or hosting infrastructure. By ensuring persistence, resolvability, and citability, the MDOI system strengthens the integrity of scholarly communication, supports long-term knowledge preservation, and enhances the traceability of digital resources across evolving technological environments.

MDOI identifiers follow a standardised and scalable syntax that guarantees global uniqueness, consistency, and interoperability across systems. Each identifier adopts the format:

110.PREFIX/ENTITY.YEAR.SEQUENCE

Where:

• 110 — the namespace designating the MDOI registry
• PREFIX — a unique user or institutional code
• ENTITY — a short identifier derived from the individual or organisation
• YEAR — reflects the time of registration
• SEQUENCE — a system-generated unique number

This structured composition ensures that identifiers are both human-readable and machine-processable, while enabling efficient metadata linkage and seamless resolution through the MDOI infrastructure.

The registration and deposit process within the MDOI system is designed to be efficient, transparent, and user-driven, enabling seamless integration into scholarly workflows.

The MDOI registration workflow follows five clear steps:

1. Select the appropriate content type (e.g., article, dataset, thesis)
2. Enter required metadata — title, resource URL, and publication year — alongside optional descriptive fields
3. Review the auto-generated identifier before submission
4. Submit to register and activate the identifier
5. Manage the record through your dashboard

Upon submission, the identifier is immediately active, resolvable, and ready for citation — ensuring seamless integration into scholarly workflows.

The MDOI dashboard provides a comprehensive environment for lifecycle management of registered records, allowing users to maintain accuracy, relevance, and traceability over time.

Through the dashboard, users can:

• Update metadata — title, authors, abstract, and resource URL
• Archive records (inactive but retained)
• Restore previously archived records
• Withdraw records (permanent status change)
• Export metadata for reporting and analysis

Importantly, MDOI identifiers are never deleted. Even withdrawn records remain registered and resolvable, preserving the integrity and traceability of the scholarly record.

The MDOI system incorporates a flexible visibility framework that enables users to control how their registered records are accessed and displayed, while maintaining the persistence of identifiers.

Three visibility states are available:

• Public (Active) — fully accessible and resolvable records, discoverable through the resolution system
• Private (Inactive) — registered but not publicly promoted in listings or search interfaces
• Withdrawn — marked as no longer maintained, with a visible status notice to inform users

This approach ensures that persistence is maintained independently of visibility, allowing users to manage access without compromising identifier validity.

Organisation accounts are designed to support institutional-level identifier management, providing scalable and structured control over multiple digital assets within a single administrative framework.

Each organisation is assigned a unique prefix that anchors all identifiers registered under its authority, ensuring consistency and traceability across records. Organisation accounts provide:

• Centralised dashboard management
• Institutional verification through badges
• Multi-user access for collaborative workflows
• Governance, accountability, and operational efficiency at scale

These accounts facilitate large-scale deployment of MDOI identifiers across universities, research institutions, publishers, and repositories.

Individual accounts are designed to support researchers, scholars, authors, and independent contributors who require direct and flexible access to the MDOI system for managing their digital objects.

Upon registration, each individual user receives a personalised dashboard enabling:

• Deposit, management, and monitoring of records
• Metadata updates and visibility control
• Identifier tracking over time

Individual accounts operate under a streamlined governance model that prioritises ease of use while maintaining adherence to MDOI standards and policies. Users are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of their submissions, including maintaining valid resource links and up-to-date metadata.

Through an affordable maintenance contribution model, individual accounts provide equitable access to persistent identification infrastructure.

Government agency accounts are designed to support ministries, regulatory bodies, public institutions, and national research organisations that manage and disseminate official records, policy documents, datasets, and other public-sector digital assets.

Through a centralised institutional dashboard, authorised personnel can:

• Manage multiple records at institutional scale
• Enforce metadata standards across all entries
• Oversee visibility settings in accordance with legal and transparency requirements
• Ensure records comply with national data governance policies

By integrating persistent identification into public-sector workflows, the MDOI system enhances transparency, accountability, and long-term preservation of government information.

MDOI identifiers are resolved through the MDOI resolver infrastructure, which links each identifier to its corresponding metadata record and, where applicable, redirects users to the associated digital resource.

Resolution format:

https://mdoi.org/{identifier}

Upon resolution, users are directed to the metadata landing page and subsequently to the resource location.

Citation formats:

• MDOI format: 110.9001/MSC.2026.000001
• URL format: https://mdoi.org/110.9001/MSC.2026.000001

MDOIs can be embedded in publications, repositories, and digital platforms, providing persistent and reliable references for scholarly communication. This resolution process ensures reliable access to the most current version of the object, independent of changes in hosting location.

Metadata forms the structural backbone of the MDOI system, underpinning the discoverability, interoperability, and long-term usability of all registered digital objects.

The MDOI framework requires core descriptive elements and supports optional enrichment fields:

• Required: title, publication year, resource location (URL)
• Optional: authorship, abstracts, keywords, institutional affiliations

The system supports continuous metadata updates, allowing records to evolve alongside the underlying digital objects without compromising identifier persistence. Through adherence to metadata best practices and quality assurance principles, MDOI ensures consistency across records and facilitates integration with global research infrastructures.

The MDOI system operates within a structured governance and compliance framework designed to ensure long-term reliability, accountability, and sustainability of the identifier infrastructure.

Key elements of the governance model include:

• Clearly defined policies, technical standards, and community-driven oversight mechanisms
• Compliance requirements ensuring users adhere to protocols for accuracy, ethical use, and responsible data management
• A lean, cost-recovery sustainability model supporting continuous system maintenance, security, and scalability

This integrated approach ensures that the MDOI system remains resilient, trustworthy, and adaptable to evolving technological and scholarly environments.

The MDOI system incorporates robust security and data protection mechanisms to ensure the integrity, authenticity, and confidentiality of registered digital objects and their associated metadata.

Security measures include:

• Secure infrastructure safeguarding against unauthorised access, data loss, and tampering
• Immutable linkage between identifiers and metadata — updates are tracked and auditable
• Access controls and authentication protocols for both public and private records
• Secure storage practices protecting long-term scholarly and institutional assets

By prioritising data integrity and security, the MDOI framework reinforces user trust and supports the reliable preservation of digital knowledge.

The MDOI system is designed to operate seamlessly within broader digital research and information ecosystems, supporting interoperability across platforms, repositories, and institutional infrastructures.

Through standardised identifier structures and metadata schemas, MDOIs can be integrated into:

• Digital libraries and institutional repositories
• Academic publishing platforms and research management systems
• Web-based applications and academic databases
• Automated workflows via APIs and cross-platform data exchange mechanisms

This interoperability ensures that MDOI identifiers function effectively within both existing and emerging technologies, enhancing the visibility and reuse of digital objects across global knowledge networks.

The MDOI system supports controlled updates and version continuity to ensure that digital objects remain accurate and relevant over time without compromising identifier persistence.

Version management guidelines:

• Each MDOI identifier remains permanently assigned to a specific record
• Users may update associated metadata and resource locations as the object evolves
• Where substantial changes occur (new editions, significant revisions), users are encouraged to register a new identifier
• Clear linkage between versions should be maintained through metadata relationships

This approach preserves the integrity of the scholarly record and ensures users can reliably distinguish between different versions of a digital object across its lifecycle.

The MDOI system provides integrated analytics capabilities that enable users and institutions to monitor the usage, reach, and impact of their registered digital objects.

Through the user dashboard, stakeholders can track:

• Identifier resolutions and access frequency
• Interaction patterns over time
• Visibility and engagement metrics

These insights support evidence-based decision-making, allowing researchers and organisations to assess visibility, measure engagement, and demonstrate the dissemination and influence of their work. By incorporating usage analytics into the identifier ecosystem, MDOI enhances not only persistence and accessibility but also the evaluative dimension of digital scholarship and institutional outputs.

The MDOI system is designed around a clearly defined identifier lifecycle that ensures long-term persistence and traceability of digital objects.

Lifecycle states:

• Active — identifier is live, resolvable, and publicly accessible
• Archived (Inactive) — identifier is retained but not actively promoted
• Withdrawn — identifier is permanently marked inactive; remains registered and resolvable

From the point of registration, each identifier remains permanently associated with its metadata record, regardless of subsequent updates, archival status, or withdrawal. This approach ensures digital objects can be reliably tracked across time, maintaining continuity in scholarly referencing and preventing broken or obsolete links.

The effectiveness of the MDOI system relies on clearly defined user roles and responsibilities that promote accountability and data integrity.

User responsibilities include:

• Ensuring the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of submitted metadata
• Maintaining valid resource links and updating information as necessary
• Adhering to established MDOI standards and policies

Organisational accounts may include multiple users with designated roles:

• Administrators — full management access and governance oversight
• Contributors — can deposit and manage their own records

By fostering responsible participation, the MDOI system ensures the reliability and trustworthiness of its identifier ecosystem.

The MDOI system aligns with established scholarly communication practices and technical standards to ensure interoperability, credibility, and global relevance.

Compliance encompasses:

• Standardised metadata structures and persistent identifier principles
• Best practices in digital object management
• Integration into academic publishing workflows, research repositories, and institutional systems
• Adherence to ethical and regulatory frameworks for responsible data management, transparency, and reproducibility

Compliance with these standards enhances the integration of MDOI identifiers into global knowledge infrastructures and strengthens the credibility of registered digital outputs.

The MDOI system is designed with adaptability and continuous improvement at its core, enabling it to evolve in response to emerging technological, scholarly, and institutional needs.

Planned developments include:

• Enhanced access control mechanisms and advanced analytics
• API integrations and expanded interoperability with global research infrastructures
• Integration of artificial intelligence for automated metadata enrichment
• Improved user experience and scalability for large institutional deployments

Through ongoing innovation and community feedback, the MDOI Foundation ensures that the system remains relevant, scalable, and capable of supporting the future of digital scholarship.

Cite this handbook: Metascholar Consult Limited. (2026). MDOI handbook: Comprehensive guide to registering, managing, and citing MDOI identifiers. MDOI Foundation. https://mdoi.org