Boris Johnson was accused of betraying thousands of students after the UK pulled out of the Erasmus exchange programme.

The scheme, which allowed students to study in countries across Europe for up to a year, will be replaced by a worldwide programme named after Bletchley Park code breaker Alan Turing, pictured.

Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, said he regretted Britain’s choice to leave.

But Mr Johnson said the UK had made the ‘tough decision’ because the scheme is ‘extremely expensive’.

He told a press conference: ‘Students will have the opportunity not just to go to European universities, but to go to the best universities in the world.’

The Erasmus scheme gives financial support to participants, and around 17,000 British university students take part each year.

The move to abandon Erasmus was heavily criticised.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: ‘Ending UK participation in Erasmus – an initiative that has expanded opportunities and horizons for so many young people – is cultural vandalism by the UK Government.’

Lib Dem MP Layla Moran said it was ‘a betrayal of young people’.

The new scheme is not expected to fund students coming to Britain, as Erasmus does now. A report this year said Erasmus is worth £243million a year to the UK economy, after membership costs, thanks to EU students visiting Britain.

Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle said a one-sided scheme would leave the UK poorer.