ABOUT BROOKSIDE HALL
Brookside Hall is an intercollegiate hall of residence for men, situated in Brooklyn, Pretoria, near the University of Pretoria. It is also well connected by public transport to Tshwane University of Technology and is situated within walking distance of the Gautrain Hatfield Station.
Social and cultural life is much enhanced by the well-balanced body of residents, undergraduates and post-graduates, from home and overseas, who study a large variety of subjects in different faculties.
With the provision of good study conditions, the hall has always attracted keen students and academic results have been consistently above the average. First-year students can avail themselves of the experience and guidance of older students and graduates. Study weekends and vacation courses are also arranged.
The atmosphere in the residence relies upon the responsibility and respect for the personal freedom of each resident. An applicant is offered a place on the understanding that he will by his positive outlook seek to maintain the high standards and family tone that have marked Brookside Hall since 2009.
Spiritual activities at Brookside Hall are entrusted to Opus Dei (www.opusdei.org.za), a personal prelature of the Catholic Church.
What Makes us Different
Brookside Hall is not just a university residence and cultural centre for men. We offer much more.
We pride ourselves especially of two distinguishing characteristics of our offer:
Personal approach: at Brookside Hall we give importance to each individual student, having in mind his freedom and dignity as a human being;
Comprehensive formation: we believe that the university education that each student is receiving is only a small part of his development; therefore, we strive to complement this with activities in the areas of cultural, professional, human and spiritual development.
Our Core Values
Friendship
Students will find at Brookside Hall a place where loyal and long-lasting friendship can be built. This also teaches and encourages students to have a stable social and family life in the future.
Freedom
At Brookside Hall we believe in and love the freedom that each individual has, and we encourage students to make a mature and responsible use of it.
Hard-Work
Brookside Hall fosters in students a spirit of hard work, both in their studies and in their use of time.
Excellence
Students who come to Brookside Hall are spurred on to make the best out of their talents, both in their studies and in their future professional career.
Our Vision and Mission
Our vision is to develop university students into leaders by:
Encouraging and enabling students to aim at a level of excellence in their studies and in everything they do
Spurring students on to widen their horizons and have ambitious dreams
Developing students into mature individuals, especially by urging them to take hold of the responsibility that goes along with their freedom
Fostering in students the development of their character
Instilling in students a sense of responsibility for the society in which they live, thereby encouraging them to be actively involved in their social environment.
To do this, we organise activities in several areas—intellectual, professional, human and spiritual—for a comprehensive and all-round enrichment of students.
What makes Brookside Hall different is that we provide students with the means for their personal development, over and above what is offered by the university.
Brookside Hall is an initiative of Imfunda Social Integration and Sport NPC. It is inspired by Christian values; however, it is not restricted to Christians only and any male student can apply for accommodation or attend our events.
Opus Dei
Opus Dei is an organisation of the Catholic Church which helps ordinary men and women strive for holiness in their ordinary lives, through their work and family life. It was founded in 1928 by St Josemaría Escrivá, who was declared a saint by Pope John Paul II in 2002.
Today Opus Dei has about 85,000 members, from over 90 different nationalities. There are several members in South Africa. There are also many cooperators who help Opus Dei in South Africa and throughout the world, of all religions and none.
The majority of members are married and live with their families. All members lead ordinary working lives. Hence, their only common feature is the Catholic faith they share and their desire to strive for holiness in and through daily affairs.
St Josemaría often spoke of the greatness of ordinary life, as it is there that people can find God and become holy, by striving to carry out their everyday activities to the best of their ability and for the love of God.
Opus Dei supports its members and others by spiritual formation and guidance helping them to strive for holiness and carry out a Christian apostolate wherever they are.
Members of Opus Dei, in collaboration with other people of good will, have set up social and educational undertakings in the countries where they live. These include farming schools, centres for the advancement of women, medical centres, hospitals, youth clubs, students’ residences, secondary schools and universities. In South Africa there are centres in Pretoria and Johannesburg.
For more info information please visit www.opusdei.org.za.