In 2006 UC Davis signed an Agreement of Cooperation with Shanghai Theatre Academy to develop an educational and research exchange. The Department now has a healthy exchange of faculty and performance, that has created a ring of international theatre school contacts not only with China but also with Russia, the UK, Hong Kong, Korea and elsewhere in the USA. There are increasing opportunities for student exchange.

The Chinese Opera Troupe from the Academy has played to sold-out audiences, and Chinese Opera movement specialists have given exchange of practice workshops with the Chinese Movement courses in Theatre & Dance, for both faculty and students. Through the Academy connection alumni have developed performance projects with Shanghai-based production companies, including Speaking Chinese, a dance theatre piece by Epiphany Productions San Francisco and Creative Futures in Shanghai.