Almost every second year, Dr. Shah visited the University of Heidelberg and benefited greatly from the presence of scholars working on South Asia at Europe's biggest centre dealing with South Asia — the South Asia Institute. He became the Honorary Representative of the South Asia Institute in Islamabad during the period from 2006 to 2009.

In 2009, Prof. Shah was appointed as Allama Iqbal Professor at the South Asia Institute — a position he held from September 2009 until August 2014. His expertise on the contemporary developments in Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan was central to this appointment, concerns which he brought to bear in his teaching as Allama Iqbal Professor.

Dr. Shah participated in many group discussions on the rising tide of militancy in South Asia and, being himself from that area, has in-depth knowledge and expertise on the present situation in Afghanistan and the tribal areas of Pakistan. Through participations in workshops and conferences, as well as interviews with the press, Prof. Shah became a prominent figure on the regional and national arena — and consequently the Allama Iqbal Professorship acquired considerable status.