Barcelona and the wider Catalonia region are seeing a new push to support students ahead of the PAU university entrance exams, as the Department of Research and Universities has launched a campaign to reduce stress and promote emotional well-being.
The initiative, developed with the Interuniversity Council of Catalonia (CIC), forms part of the National Pact for Mental Health. Minister for Research and Universities Núria Montserrat told ACN the aim is to give young people confidence and calm, and to remind them they are well prepared for the 2026 Selectivitat exams.
The campaign, called “Fes les PAU en pau” (Take the PAU in peace), follows a similar 2025 effort, “Estiguis com estiguis, estigues en pau” (However you are, be in peace). This year’s advice includes planning revision well, keeping healthy sleep and eating habits, setting aside time to relax, and trusting the work done during the academic year.
Montserrat said there has been no detected rise in mental health vulnerabilities among students taking the PAU, but the ministry wanted to act preventively. She also said the exams should be kept in perspective, noting that they last two and a half days and are only one part of a longer academic path.
Laia Arnal, director of the National Pact for Mental Health, said students face a lot of pressure, but the tests do not define them as people or place them in a ranking. She said the PAU is the end of a specific educational stage and a formal step towards university, and added that most students go on to their first-choice degree programme.
The campaign also includes messages from contestants on the 3Cat music programme Eufòria, along with radio spots, social media content and other digital materials. Montserrat also highlighted a record 45,800 PAU registrations this year, saying it reflects student confidence in university and supports the government’s wider social mobility goals. For more Catalonia coverage, see our news page.