Deeply rooted in the traditional values of good government, transparency and openness have lately become standards against which a variety of economic, cultural, social and political activities are measured worldwide. Advancing knowledge of these notions has become an imperative in times of economic turmoil, democratic challenges, and the emergence of new methods of global governance. Building on the success of its previous two editions held in 2011 in Newark and in 2012 in Utrecht, the Third Global Conference on Transparency Research addresses the interdisciplinary community of scholars working on transparency and open government studies. It provides a forum to discuss papers analysing current policies on access to information held by governments, transparency relationships among government entities, transparency relationships between governments and private and non-profit entities, and access to information held by governments about individuals. Papers advancing the understanding of the concepts, determinants, roots and critiques of transparency and open government are particularly welcome. The conference aims to bring together academics, policy makers, and interest group representatives working in a variety of fields such as law, business, economics, sociology, political science, public administration, journalism, and philosophy.