Universities and colleges across the nation are getting it wrong.  So says University of Delaware president Patrick Harker, who has a plan to transform traditional Ivory Tower institutions into student-focused powerhouses that will shatter old educational models and usher in a new era of educational excellence.  The problem is, he says, it will be painfully difficult and some schools are bound to be left behind. In an interview with Knowledge at Wharton, Harker, who previously worked as the dean of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, explains his view of the way forward.  An edited transcript of the conversation appears below. Knowledge at Wharton: Pat, you’ve written a thought-provoking paper about major challenges facing the education system. Let’s begin our conversation by discussing the soaring cost of higher education. Is a university education a good investment today? Harker: Yes, it’s still a good investment.…