无形学院一词首先出现于Robert Boyle 于1646年和1647年写的两封信中，信里描述伦敦小酒馆中的午餐会，当时尚无正式的期刊出版，科学家总是把自己的研究成果写成书籍，而且透过私人通信、书店浏览和私下传阅等方式来进行交流，此即为无形学院。

科学家一方面生产信息，将研究成果透过正式与非正式的管道传播出去，另一方面寻求信息，亦借由正式与非正式的传播管道得到信息，正式的传播管道以图书和期刊为主，非正式的管道则包括出席会议、电话交谈、私人通信、以及交换论文初稿等。经由非正式的社交接触与信息交换，科学家创建起彼此的友谊与讨论的习惯，掌握最新科学发展的消息，此非正式管道即形成无形学院。

The Invisible College has been described as a precursor group to the Royal Society of London, consisting of a number of natural philosophers around Robert Boyle. It has been suggested that other members included prominent figures later closely concerned with the Royal Society; but several groups preceded the formation of the Royal Society, and who the other members of this one were is still debated by scholars.